


Entangled

by BlindManBaldwin



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 11:35:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 38,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18365201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlindManBaldwin/pseuds/BlindManBaldwin
Summary: Two souls, separated by fear and anger, are drenched in doubt. A strange set of dreams links the two—though they don't know it—as they engage on twin journeys of self-discovery to find out the true nature of themselves and the Force.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my friends for encouraging me, the Reylo community for inspiring me, and Genesis (among others in Prog) providing the soundtrack of this piece! I hope you like it!

_ A woman ran to escape the sandstorm ravaging the field. Once more, she was at the mercy of whatever beast controlled these winds and the sand. Her face, tattered and worn, was both beautiful and sad. Shielding her eyes, she entered the shack she called home. There wasn’t much—but it was all she had. Turning to the right, she opened a door and walked in the smaller room. As she began to look down… _

 

“And that’s when it all faded away…” The Supreme Leader lamented, putting his pen down and locking his journal up. 

 

Ever since his uncle—that monster in his mind—said those two magic words to him on the planet of salt, he was confused and lost. Ever since that girl looked into his eyes and took his heart and soul, he felt frightened. Ever since he killed his father, he felt hopeless and split. This combination of emotions was a recipe for a slew of issues. He lacked his usual, domineering persona. He had no ability to command the fear from his subordinates. He had no motivation to command the army and the empire at his disposal. He simply didn’t care.

 

But to him, the worst was the dreams. He had dreams and nightmares as a boy, yes, but ever since he put on the mask his sleep has been dead and his imagination shut off. No more would he be haunted by the torments of that whom he called master. He made sure of that—permanently. 

 

However, he now found himself on the nightly call of the mysterious woman in the desert. He didn’t know who she was or where she lived. At first he thought it was Rey due to the desert, but he knew that wasn’t her face. 

 

The worst part of these dreams was their staying power. Through all day, they weighed on his mind. In meetings with the administrators and that cocky fool he called his second-in-command, his thoughts wandered to a million questions surrounding the woman. What was this room she entered in as the dream ended? Why were the sandstorms always awful? Why was a woman who looked so young and beautiful had such sadness in her heart? These questions were far more pressing to Ren than the duties of Supreme Leader. His mind was already lost in thought over Rey—how stupid she was not to come with him, how idiotic he was not to go with her. The only person who Ren ever felt understood him wanted him dead. Maybe he should be dead. 

 

“That’s why she gave the saber to Luke...to kill me. He wouldn’t even use his own” Ren said, walking towards his desk. She closed the door on him—which spoke volumes.

 

Ren sat back at his desk for a moment before standing up to get his hair ready for the day’s events. In his appearance, Ren found an escape. His hair, his skin, his eyes, his clothes, everything about his appearance was a way for him to build this persona of Kylo Ren. He could hide behind it all—with or without the mask. No one would know the pain beneath him. 

 

Looking at his agenda, he saw the same old meaningless garbage called “leadership”: appearances at troop events, inspecting the new TIEs, conversing with local authorities “allying” with the First Order. If he could, he would just get in a ship and fly far away from here. He needed this pain to stop, but he didn’t know how. Everything he did just made it worse. 

 

Ren became lost in his thoughts—which scattered in every direction—before being interrupted by one of his guards.

 

“My Lord,” the nameless trooper uttered. “General Hux requests your presence at once. The weapons manufacturers from the Outer Rim are here to discuss plans to commission the new all-terrain vehicles.” 

 

“Ah, yes, Thank you….” Ren replied. He looked to try and see the trooper’s number. “JC-0487. You may stand down.” 

 

The trooper marched down the corridor. He didn’t know how to respond to the Supreme Leader, as he never answered the guards requests or statements before—much less thank them. He considered reporting it to his higher up, but he decided against it. Still, the guard felt there was something different about him. 

 

Ren, realizing he would be late to the meeting if he didn’t start, grabbed a fresh black robe from his closet and entered his washroom. He took off his nightgown and turned on the water. The scalding water, while bad for his skin, seemed to boil away his pains. The steam overcame the room as he turned the water off. Thinking he heard something, he open the shower door and stepped out without grabbing his robe.    
  
“Hello, Ben.”

 

The Supreme Leader looked into the mirror and saw two faces look back at him: a student and a master. 

 

“Skywalker…”

 

Putting on his clothes, he walked back into his office and turned off all the cameras. He already embarrassed himself to the First Order once in the presence of his former master, he wasn’t going to do it again. However, shutting off his cameras alerted his guard that there was a problem in his quarters. A platoon, fearing an assassin, rushed to his quarters.

 

“What are you doing here?” He questioned, frustration swelling in his voice. “Still trying to lecture me on how that girl is going to destroy all of this, me, and bring salvation to the galaxy?” The Supreme Leader moved towards the specter of his old master, clenching his hands into a fist. 

 

Luke walked around the room, noticing how cold and metallic Ben’s environment has been for the last six years. There was no green to be found—quite the change from the young boy who always loved the worlds lush with life. It had been quite sometime since he had spoken to Solo; the boy was now a man. Yet, much like on Crait, Luke couldn’t shake the feeling that the boy still existed somewhere inside him.     
  
“You haven’t been sleeping well, is it a dream you can’t decipher?” Luke responded, ignoring Ben’s inquiry. 

 

“Dream?!” Ren retorted. “Have you been in my head again, old man?” He reached for the lightsaber in his belt—a childhood pain had been reignited. 

 

Going towards him, Luke put his hand through Ben’s heart. “Ben, you can’t hurt me…” Luke replied. Luke then looked at the scar on his nephew’s face, unsure of where it came from. “Just as I can’t hurt you ever again.” Every time Luke saw his face, he thought of how much he looked like his father. 

 

Ren paused, put his lightsaber down, and slumped his shoulders. For the briefest moment, he felt a weakness within himself. He went back to his youth—the child who knew nothing and the adult who had all the answers. Maybe this held true all these years later and Luke would know this mysterious woman. 

 

“No,” Ren whispered. 

 

“No!” The Supreme Leader screamed.

 

The noise caused a guard to attempt to enter the room, but he found the door’s security code had been changed. He called for support to break down the door—fearing they were too late to stop the assassin. 

 

“I want you to go away from this place and never return,” The Supreme Leader ordered. “Whatever problem I’m having, I can solve it myself. There’s nothing you can do to help. Leave!” 

 

Luke backed up and slowly faded away. As this ghost disappeared and a squad of Stormtroopers saw a crying Kylo Ren kneeling on the ground alone in a fit of anger. The Troopers, thinking the command was for them, all promptly left. They decided they needed to report this erratic behavior. Ren, now lying on the floor, head a voice call at to him, echoing in his ears.

 

_ “Now go, my son. Leave me.” _

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old teacher visits Rey as she seeks guidance through the Force.

_ The waterfall crashed down the slope and onto the scree below. Her perception pulled out to see the grass on the surrounding fields. Trees and life were abundant in this place. A young couple were celebrating—the smiles on their face could be seen from across the stars. Something wonderful had happened. Hand-in-hand, they leisurely walked back to their massive castle.  _

 

The confines of the Millenium Falcon greeted Rey, as they did every morning these days, awakening herself after another restless night. The girl from the desert still hadn't quite adjusted to living in space.

 

For as long as she can remember, she’s had dreams of water—of islands, and rivers, and lakes, and oceans, and waterfalls. In recent days, she thought these dreams were visions from the Force of where she would meet Luke. But, despite both that planet and Luke being exterminated at the First Order’s hand, these dreams persisted in her head. Though, to her, they may have as well been two different visions. The one before was of islands, empty and desolate in their solitude. This dream was of a planet rich with greenery and life. 

 

“It must be the most beautiful planet on the galaxy,” She said to herself, getting out of bed and preparing for another day on the run from the First Order. While the fledgling Resistance escaped the clutches of the First Order on Crait, their numbers were made to practically nothing and their only refuge remained the piece of junk that the General once called home.

 

Walking out of the captain’s quarters—being the pilot did give her special privileges, after all—she and her comrades-in-arms shared a morning greeting before the General began her debriefing.

 

“And the Hutt clan pledges to give us their support if we allow a return of slavery to the galaxy…” She explained. “But we’re not going to let that happen. If we lose what we’ve been fighting for, we’ve become who we’re fighting. I’d sooner die on the run then lose our morals. Victory isn’t victory if there isn’t a light at the end!” 

 

“With that,” She said, painfully trying to sit down. “I turn it over to Lieutenant General Dameron.” The events of the preceding weeks have been devastating to the General’s physical and emotional health. As such, she’s granted more authority and responsibility over to Poe. He had a hot temper and didn’t always think with his head, but he had a good heart. Leia trusted his heart.

 

“Thank you General Organa,” He started. “Our next target is the recently liberated and newly united Workers’ Collectives in the Outer Rim. They’ve started calling themselves the Industrial Workers of the Galaxy. They have an expansive fleet and our prior contact with their friend and military advisor, Maz Kanata, will prove invaluable. We believe that with enough negotiations we can get their backing. Doing so would provide us with some ships and a few planets outside the realm of the First Order’s control.”

 

Dameron looked towards Finn, indicating his time to take over the debriefing.

 

“If you look here,” Finn said, signaling BB-8 to display a galactic map. “These red dots are the planets where we could have safe passage with the workers collective. The First Order wants nothing to do with these labor disputes. We’d be safe there.”

 

Signaling to the droid, some blue dots appeared on the screen. “These dots represent the ships held by the union. It isn’t a lot, but it is enough to protect and defend a few star systems. We’d be able to set up base and try to recruit throughout the galaxy.”

 

“Thank you,” Poe said, “With that, Flight Captain Rey, would you begin the flight preparations and set a course to these coordinates?”

 

Rey nodded and motioned for Chewbacca to come with her. Han was right about one thing, he’s the best partner someone could ask for. 

 

One jump later the Resistance arrived at the coordinates. Leia, Poe, Finn, Rose, and a few other of the remaining Resistance boarded onto the capital ship of the Industrial Workers of the Galaxy. As they began to leave, Rose stopped in her path. 

 

“Wait, Rey, aren’t you coming with us?” 

 

“I…...uh,” Rey stammered, unsure of what to say. She had been tasked with a secret mission by Leia—one which not even Dameron knew about—that she couldn’t explain too easily. Before Rey thought of some excuse, Leia interceded. 

 

“While we’re aboard the ships of the IWG, Rey is going to chart a few planets in the surrounding systems in order to see if there are any potential safehouses for a ground base. Due to the threat of spies aboard the IWG, this is to remain top secret information.” The General said, not entirely lying but not entirely telling the truth. 

 

In reality, Rey had begun to fear—due to her the connection between she and Kylo—that the First Order would use this information to discover their location and wipe them out. Leia didn’t think this fear would become reality, though she thought they could turn this connection into a benefit for the Resistance. She tasked Rey with charting a few worlds near the Unknown Regions that the First Order may be stockpiling with captive children to indoctrinate into the Stormtrooper program—or worse. 

 

More importantly to Leia, she knew that if the First Order could track Rey then her son would be closely following. She knew that her son would not destroy her—or that Rey could destroy him. She didn’t know everything, but she knew something existed between them. Leia knew that her son was still in there, somewhere, and she selfishly thought Rey was key to bringing him home. On Crait, she nearly gave up hope for him ever coming home  until her brother, in his last act, reminded her of her own guiding philosophy.

 

The stragglers left the Falcon with only Chewie, Rey, Threepio and R2 remaining aboard the ship. Rey plotted a course to the first planet which Leia left with her and started her secret mission. Another jump awaited the small crew, so Rey took the opportunity to go into her quarters and meditate for a moment. Chewie spent any moment he had repairing the ship he’s spent so much of his life trying to make right and the droids were arguing about god’s know what. Still, the routine of the ship was comforting for Rey—whose life had been uphended dramatically in the last several weeks. 

 

Her rapid ascent to galactic superstardom—icon among the oppressed, hero of the abused—has left little care for who she is as a person. The parents she thought were always coming back were dead. Every time she started developing a connection with someone—Han, then Luke—they were killed at the hands of Kylo Ren.

 

Kylo. Ben. 

 

Ren. Solo.

 

She didn’t know what to call him anymore. She felt so foolish that she trusted him; that she actually thought he could be turned back towards the light. She swore above all logic and reason there was still good in him. 

 

She was wrong. 

 

There’s pain and conflict, yes, but no good. A time would come where she would have to face this truth in person and she dreaded every moment of it. She needed to escape into the one benefit she had found in the midst of all this change, her new refuge in the Force.

 

Closing her door, Rey sat cross-legged on the floor on a mat she took from Ahch-To. She shut her eyes and her mind, losing herself into the vastness of the galaxy and the Force. She tried to shake her thoughts and her consciousness—in an effort to merge her essence with the larger cosmic forces at work surrounding her. Soon, her thoughts dissipated into nothingness. The cold blackness of the force greeted her, with one singular point of light in the distance trailing behind. The light grew stronger and stronger as her individual identity grew weaker and weaker. She felt weak and insignificant in the growing light, but paradoxically powerful and strong. She felt the Force flowing through her, around her, throughout all of life in the ship and the galaxy. Everything was connected to everything—it is all a circle.

 

The light grew in equivalence with the dark. The light felt closer to Rey, who began feeling equally close to the edge of the Force and of her consciousness. The two were merging into one when she regained a bit of sense of self as the light overcame the dark. The light grew bigger and bigger until it eventually eliminated the darkness. As this occured, Rey gained more and more awareness of the tangible events surrounding her. It was an unpleasant feeling—the Force felt far more comfortable—yet she knew she would return. Her previous few attempts and meditation had gone relatively the same. One time, she knew she would get some answers or sense of greater understanding of the Force through these trips. Still, a subconscious feeling within her felt a gain from these excursions. She drifted away from the Force as the darkness and light separated once more. 

 

As her eyes opened, she heard a faint sound of water crashing down far way—reminiscent of her dream from last night. Staring off into the mirror by her bed, where she sat, she thought back to the cave on Ahch-To. She wanted answers—about her parents and her place in the world. Yet, she saw her own reflection and nothing more. The cave left her with more questions than answers. A never-ending series of Rey’s did little to assuage her anxieties about the future. The fate of the galaxy rested on her shoulders. 

 

Shoulders. Arms. Her arm. The scar.

 

Rey’s eyes darter to the marking on her arm—where Kylo would forever be a part of her—which she received aboard the Supremacy. The scar revealed her shame and failure, so she covered it up with a leather wrap. No one needed to know about it besides her. 

 

Turning away from the mirror, ready to return to the cabin to activate the newly-installed stealth systems, a familiar face looked back at her.

 

“Luke?”

 

The blue-tinted Luke walked out of her quarters and into the main living space, sitting at the table where he spent many days with his long-deceased friend. A forlorn look, yet also one of contentment, resided on his face. 

 

“But…” The shocked Rey said. “I saw you die on Crait at Kylo’s hands? How are you here now?” Rey learned of a lot of strange phenomenon in the galaxy recently, but she swore there could be no way one could cheat death. 

 

“My nephew,” Luke started, standing up to look at his near-apprentice. “Did not kill me. As much as he wanted to, I chose to die. I came to Crait to apologize to him—for all that I had done and all I failed to do. His anger was with me, not with you or his mother. I needed to make things right. I should’ve done it sooner…” He looked into the cabin, the door slightly open. He saw the mat, the books, many of the artifacts on Ahch-To. He was glad these weren’t lost in the ruins of the planet. “Perhaps then things wouldn’t have ended up the way they did.” 

 

“Well don’t say that,” She interrupted. “The past can’t be changed. You tried to show Kylo the light and he wouldn’t listen...I felt it.” The pain welled in her heart again. 

 

“So it is true?” The specter whispered.

 

“What was that?” 

 

“Nothing...nothing,” He replied, trying to change the subject. “Ben is as troubled as you are—but that doesn’t matter right now.” 

 

“What matters is you,” Luke could feel the pain within her. “How are you doing? Are you sleeping ok?”

 

Rey wondered how Luke knew she was struggling to sleep but for different reasons than before. Did this new form give him new insights? 

 

“Yes, I’ve been having these dreams—visions.”

 

“Of what? Of water?”

 

“Yes, water.” Again, Rey didn’t know how Luke could know these things. Perhaps these dreams were linked to the Force.  “But not the water of Ahch-To. It was different! It flowed on a lush planet of life. There were trees and fields and animals everywhere. It’s seas were calm. Serene. Paradise.”

 

“A planet, one you’ve never been to I take it?”

 

“Yes, I don’t know where it is. What should I do? Leia gave me this mission but it doesn’t feel right to me.”

 

“Listen to your feelings, Rey, you know what’s right. What should you do?”

 

“I want to discover what this world is. Where it is. I think….” Rey stopped for a moment and thought about it. Leia had given her so much, was it fair to abandon this mission? Yet, Leia was mindful—far more than Luke—so maybe she already knew that Rey felt a wanderlust to a greater purpose. Maybe the mission given to Rey could have been an excuse for her to feel freedom from the cause she’s been burdened with? Yes, Leia would be ok with this. She had to be aware of it. Rey could feel it. Leia was wiser in the Force than she let on.

 

“I think this planet has the answers I’m looking for. I think whatever I find on this planet will help us end the war and bring a lasting peace to the galaxy.”

 

“Good, good. You are wise to listen to your heart. A lesson that took me far too long to learn.”

 

The ghost rubbed his hand on the cold metal of the ship. Rey wondered if he could still feel—the texture, the temperature, the world around him. Is he dead? Is he alive? There are many mysteries in the Force she doesn’t know. 

 

“Luke...can I ask you something?”

 

Fear came upon his face, almost like there was something he shouldn’t say. “W-what is it?”

 

“How are you here?”

 

“A good question…” He paused, relieved the question wasn’t what he expected. “That I do not have an answer too. My masters had the same fate happen to them in death, yet they trained on it. For me...it just happened.” 

 

“What’s it like, can you feel things?”

 

“It’s hard to explain, it’s painful to be out like this for too long. But I’ve learned more in the death about the Force than I ever imagined in life.” 

 

“Like?” Rey saw his appearance growing fainter; she grew frantic in her questioning. 

 

“Rey, follow your heart. It won’t fail. Remember,” Luke said, sharing something he tried to teach to his students early and often. “Pain is the reminder of love. The planet you seek is where the Empire was first born.”

 

The ghost disappeared, leaving Rey back to her refined missions. She didn’t know where the planet was, yet she had a clue to go off of. 

 

“Chewie, I could use some time to get my hands dirty. Clear my head, you know? I’m gonna go back into my room and try to see if I can’t fix the lightsaber.”

 

Walking back into the captain’s quarters, Rey opened the locked drawer where she kept the pieces of the broken saber. The encounter with Kylo Ren aboard the Supremacy left it split in half. Despite all her technical knowledge, Rey couldn’t mend the saber. She tried every adhesive and bonding agent known in the galaxy, but nothing worked to fix it. Every time she tried, it broke or blew up or failed to ignite. 

 

“Why can’t I fix this?” Rey asked. “There must be something I’m missing.”

 

Rey had no idea how lightsabers were constructed to begin with—only one other person in the galaxy even knew how to use one of them. At first she figured she’d make a new one of her own, but the crystals were impossible to come by and the secrets of them were lost with Skywalker. After realizing this would be an incompletable task, she then moved on to trying to repair the old one which she found as difficult as making a new one. She knew she would need the weapon to be functional when she confronted Kylo Ren again.Her lack of progress didn’t dissuade her from keeping at it. 

 

“Perhaps…” She said, looking at the pieces scattered across a cloth she took from Ahch-To. “Perhaps the Force is involved? The weapon of Jedi would surely involve the Force in the constructing process.”

 

Sitting cross-legged as before, Rey focused her thoughts toward the lightsaber. Suddenly, the pieces started to click together and lock into place. Opening her eyes, Rey grabbed the lightsaber. It felt as whole and sturdy as it did before breaking—the sheer mass of it always surprised her. Flicking the switch to ignite it, the beautiful blue blade came out.

 

“Yes, I’ve done it!” She said. “The saber it’s fi-”

 

The blade started to flicker and weaken, before shutting off completely. The saber didn’t blow up, this time, but it didn’t function. No smoke emerged, either. 

 

“Ugh….” She sighed. “Well, I’ll get my hand tools and see if I can’t do more tinkering.”

 

Twisting and pulling at the sensitive components of the saber, Rey thought back to her isolated childhood on Jakku. Cleaning and scrubbing, fixing and tightening were how she stayed alive. Now, those same skills are helping her bide time as she waits for her ultimate confrontation with her other half in the Force. Ever since Skywalker came to her, the connection between her and Kylo had reopened. A torrent of emotions had begun waving over her heart.

 

“Ren…” She whispered. “I can feel you. You’re hurting, Luke was right. Why wouldn’t you listen to me?” The frustration with Kylo bubbled over in Rey. 

 

“Ouch!” She yelped. She snapped one of her electric drivers in two, zapping her in the process. 

 

“Ugh, that’s enough for today,” She said. “I need some sleep.” 

 

Closing her eyes, Rey saw the planet of her dreams once more. She knew she had to find this planet.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey consults with her friends as she departs towards an unknown world.

_ A child, no more than eight years old, studied in a classroom. A pile of books about galactic affairs, history, and culture sat on their side. The child seemed incomplete—like this wasn’t their life. They had something bigger. The child wanted to be in the action. Their eyes wistfully stared out the window at the beauty surrounding the schoolhouse, yearning for the days where they could run free again…. _

 

“But what is it?” She said to the audience of no one but Artoo. “Who is this girl?” 

 

“Boooooooooooooooop” Artoo signaled. Rey wasn’t quite fluent in the old dialect of the Astromech, though a hint of sadness and longingness colored his sounds. 

 

Chewie moved the ship closer to the IWG fleet in order to get into comm range—Rey wasn’t going to do the mission Leia asked of her so she decided she must tell the General herself when she returns. Rey spent her time trying to go further into the Force, probing and prodding its edges for any clues about this mystery planet. But every trip met her with empty results. A larger picture of the planet would emerge, but still no clue. Each time she traveled into the Force, her consciousness grew closer to the Force. She became more aware of her power, more confident in her physical abilities—but lacked confidence in her mental strength. 

 

“But today was different!” She exclaimed, in both happiness and frustration. “Not outside, I was in some sort of schoolhouse. I think that’s what Leia described them as to me once—where children gather to read and write and learn.” Tying her hair up in her buns and wrapping her bandage around her scar, the reflection of it caught her eye. She thought back to the Supremacy, where she foolishly thought Kylo Ren would help them—help her. 

 

She quickly whisked away the tear dribbling down her cheek. “Oh Artoo,” She said, resuming her story. “This building was bigger than any I’ve ever seen! And there was a child in it, I didn’t see their face. But this child had something special about them...I could sense it. It was as if—”

 

Threepio, waddling in at his usual pace, interrupted Rey’s description. “Excuse me, Master Rey, but the General is signaling for you on the communicator.”

 

“Oh, thank you. I shouldn’t keep her waiting”

 

“Rey, is that you? Can you hear me?”   
  


“Yes, General? What do you need? Actually, I must apologize for failing—”

 

The noise of the crowds aboard the IWG ships made it difficult for Leia to hear her. “I know, I know. You didn’t go on the mission.”

 

Listen, I need to tell you something. The planet you’re looking for…”

 

“How did you know I’m looking for a—oh nevermind. Yes, Luke told me about the planet where the Empire was born. Where would this be? Coruscant?” Rey submerged herself in galactic history texts over the last several weeks, trying to integrate herself into a society she never knew. Finn commented how much quickly she learned—he too was trying to learn the real history of the galaxy and not First Order propaganda.

 

“That’s what I grew up l learning, but the truth…”

 

“What, I can’t quite hear you. The signal is weakening”

 

“I’m….signal fading….union negotiations going well….planet you are looking….Nab,” Leia tried to say the planet before the shoddy signal cut out. Still, Rey had a clue.

 

“Nab? I’ve never seen any planet named Nab in the star charts,” Rey thought. “Wait, Rose always had a personal commlink on her. Maybe I can get through to her.”

 

Logging on to the terminal, Rey called the Resistance’s resident expert in all things tech. If anyone could get a communication feed through the wall and noise, it’d be Rose.

 

“Rey? I thought you were on the other end of the galaxy looking for Stormtrooper training grounds?”

 

“Uh, new orders from the General. Just received them…” Rey stopped, not really wanting to lie yet uncertain whether she should tell the truth. “I’m to go to a planet called ‘Nab’, but I’ve never heard of it. Looking in the star charts, I can’t find it either. Do you know where it is?”   
  


“Hahaha, oh Rey....” She laughed. “The comm feed must’ve been really bad. She wasn’t saying ‘Nab’, she was saying ‘Naboo’. It’s a midrim world. Beautiful place, or so I’ve heard. Many years ago it was a center of galactic activity but in recent years its sort of degraded.”

 

“Naboo? Ok, that planet is showing up. Thank you, Rose! Wait...the midrim? Isn’t that place under the strictest First Order control now?”

 

“Yeah but Naboo has mostly been able to stay independent since the Republic fell. I heard from Poe they have a strong navy. Some beautiful starfighters. Their engines have a unique reactor system and their shields manage to be stronger than that of one of our X-Wings while using less power! Fascinating engineers on Naboo. I remember once reading the schematics of the ship, to try to study their hull materials electric flow to better route my own hardware and I…oh I’m doing that thing again! Well, just jump straight to Naboo and you’ll be fine. I don’t really know how that’d be done, but I suppose you’re the best pilot we’ve got in the Resistance so you can figure it out!”

 

“And I have the best copilot in the galaxy with me!” Rey turned around to the see the Wookie sleeping at the table. How something so large could be so cute confused her. Despite his outward aggression, Rey knew he was a big softie deep down—even if she didn’t always understand him. 

 

“Rose, by the way, how is Finn doing?”

 

“Finn? He’s fine, quite fine. I think he likes the environment of these ships more than the backwater worlds we’ve been on. Though he thinks they’re filthy!”

 

“He always was a bit of a neat freak,” Rey said. “What’s he doing aboard the ship?”

 

“The General has him interacting with the Union leadership, teaching them about the First Order and their atrocities. Having his first-hand accounts has proven to be quite helpful in our cause. I think he likes feeling involved.”

 

“Well that’s good to hear, let him know I called,” Rey replied. “Oh and before I go, how are those ships? They looked rather old from space.”

 

“They’re a hunk of junk alright! Though I suppose a labor rebellion wouldn’t have much in the way of high-end hardware. I swear some of these ships were used in the Clone Wars! Their weapons system would indicate as such, at least by my study. You’ll have to come aboard sometime to give them a once over.”

 

“Clone Wars? Even on Jakku we never had anything that old and dusty. Maybe I’ll come aboard when I’m back from Naboo. Thanks again, Rose!” 

 

Clicking off the communication machine, Rey pondered the name of the planet for a moment.

 

“Naboo, why does that planet sound so familiar? Perhaps I read about it in a chart once…”

 

Leaning back in the pilot’s chair, Rey started to program the coordinates to Naboo into the ship’s computer. It would be the most difficult jump Rey ever ran. She couldn’t stop in any of the major systems to reroute or she’d be blown up by the First Order garrisons. She couldn’t route around the First Order or else the loose space pirates would attack her—repairing the Falcon’s weapons came second to getting the most speed and performance out of her reactor. Her only option was the one safely charted route to go straight to Naboo from her current position. 

 

“Well Chewie….” She said, turning the final knobs and pressing the last buttons. “Here goes nothing!” 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo finds himself at the whims of some sort of unseen presence.

_ A small child toddled around a pile of scrap parts and broken-down droids. With a tool far too large for their tiny hands in their grasp, the child started tinkering with the parts. The child flipped a switch and a droid turned on. Before it could talk, it burst into flames. The woman from before scolded the child before picking the child up in an embrace. Walking out of the junkyard, the woman set the child on a counter and returned to her work…. _

 

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuugh,” The Supreme Leader moaned. His mediation resulted in nothing more than another crippling headache and another vision of sand. Reaching for his robe, he got up out of his chamber and attempted to walk out to the rest of his quarters. Getting up each morning grew harder and harder for him. 

 

The Supreme Leader spent the last week making appearances at the First Order base on Lothal, seeking to ensure support of the local leadership for their cause. If they wouldn’t consent to the stationing of First Order troops and fighters on the outskirts of the city, then the Supreme Leader would personally meet with them and convince them using his own aggressive negotiations. 

 

And he hated every moment of it. 

 

He didn’t care at all about the troops, the war effort, or the expansion of their ideological state. All Ren wanted was what he couldn’t have, what he let slip out of his fingers. He tried to tighten his grip on her and make her see the truth as he does, but it failed. His actions scared her. He knew the pain and disappointment she felt for him on Crait. It was worth than anything he ever felt.

 

Putting on his skin-tight undersuit before he equipped his armor plate, he noticed the scar on his face. While it healed on the surface, the pain felt as deep as the moment it marked his face.

 

“One day….one day…” He muttered. “One day we’ll get revenge…” He still hadn’t gotten over being bested by a girl who never held a lightsaber. The scar reminded him of his failure. 

 

A boring day of meetings and politicking met the Supreme Leader with greater challenge than any military campaign or starfight ever could. Why should he care about the Empire’s past on Lothal? Why should he care about the trade routes out of Lothal to the Outer Rim? Didn’t he have dignitaries or delegates to handle these trivial matters? 

 

“So as you can see, Supreme Leader,” One of those delegates said. “If we allow these massive investments from the shipyard manufacturers and grant them authority over the capital city, they’ll agree to finance the private military necessary to keep the workers in line to prevent a full-scale rebellion.” 

 

Nodding his head, Ren’s attention was elsewhere. He had a strange feeling in the Force—one he hadn’t had since Crait. A a foggy image, one hardly differentiable from a dream, but it was an image nonetheless. It was of the Millenium Falcon landing on some midrim world….some unknown world. 

 

Ren’s emotions got the best of him as he blurted out, “I can see her!” to a stunned conference room of business executives, military commanders, crooked politicians, and otherwise unscrupulous folks. 

 

“Rey!” He yelled out. The attendees grew worried of the capability and sanity of the Supreme Leader. They already had trepidations at him and his commitment to the cause. Rumors started spreading amongst the troops that the Supreme Leader wasn’t right in the head. One night, Hux tried to speak to him about this matter and it ended with the General ending up in the infirmary for a week. 

 

Tugging at his side, General Hux cowared into his ear, “Supreme Leader, what do you mean?” as Ren’s face became bright red. 

 

“Uh….” He started, “Nothing. Carry on. I believe we were discussing our...labor tactics?” 

 

The conversation began on how the apartments in the city square would be torn down to construct guard-posts and transport hubs. Once the conversation shifted elsewhere, Ren’s mind wandered off again to this planet. Where was it? Where was she? He must see her. He must show her the pain she’s caused him. Or maybe the pain he caused her? Recently, these new confusion emotions took over his mind. His mental state deteriorated further. Wherever she was, it wasn’t a planet he recognized—a shock considering he’s been to nearly every major world in his life. 

 

“Your excellency,” One of the officers asked of Ren. “What are your thoughts on the plans to seize the farmland in the wilderness to sell to the food processing companies? If we deliver enough parcels, they’ll declare their allegiance to the First Order.”

 

“Oh yes,” Ren replied. “That’ll do fine. Food is important.” 

 

He didn’t give a rat’s ass whether the troops were well-fed or whether they had stolen enough land to appease some corporation. He just wanted to survive, and the only way he thought he could survive involved having power over those who would view him as a liability. Fear would keep the commanders and generals in check. Fear of his power. He needed to keep this fear or else he could end up like Snoke. 

 

As the meeting adjourned, Kylo walked outside to retreat back to his chambers. Before he could do this, he was interrupted by one of his Lieutenants. He had interacted with this man a few times before, a brown noser like the rest of the First Order brass. He grew to despise all of his officers. The Stormtroopers didn’t have a choice, but the officers willingly joined the ranks of the FIrst Order., 

 

“Your excellency, I regret to inform you that there is a disturbance at one of the farms in the outskirts of the city. A few stormtroopers are being deployed to handle it, but they report heavy fire.”

 

“And how does this concern me, Lt. Ansuneso?” 

 

“My Lord, we have only a few troops on the planet. Your orders, remember? You didn’t want to cause a panic?”

 

Ren did remember this order. He hated traveling with the Stormtroopers as he sensed their mental anguish and pain. It reminded him of his complicity. 

 

“Ah yes, I did. So you need me to go settle this disturbance,” He said, feeling for his lightsaber. The Supreme Leader flagged for a speeder and hopped on. He order the security detail to stand down. No one on Lothal could stand up to his power and he needed the freedom. Despite being the most powerful man in the galaxy, he felt like a slave.

 

As soon as he exited the city, the Supreme Leader took his mask off and put it in the speeder. The wind whipped into his hair as he flew out of the city and into the wilderness. He could see all of nature working in harmony—in symbiosis. He saw the the trees anchoring the dirt into the ground, which fed the newly germinating grass, which fed the lesser wildlife, which in turn fed the predators. He knew the predators would be hunted by man to keep the ecosystem in balance, who in turn planted more trees and fertilized the soil to start the cycle anew. 

 

“There’s a beauty here, a way of life,” He thought. “And we’re….I’m...ruining it.” Ren knew all the world’s similar to Lothal—with their own beautiful nature disrupted by the machine and industry of the First order. 

 

Pulling up at the farm, the sight shocked Kylo. Stormtroopers lie unconscious—yet alive—but the farm looked like it had been abandoned for years. The shoddily-built farmhouse and barns were decrepit and shanty. The fields were dusty and without any life—not even weeds. The fencing fell apart at his touch and had bits of wood shooting off in every direction. Bugs, of all kinds, had taken up residence inside the rotten wooden posts marking where crops were to be planted. 

 

“Corporal!” Ren shouted. “What happened here?” 

 

“I don’t know, sir.” She replied. 

 

“Is there a ghost, Corporal? Something obviously knocked out this lot of troops and we’re not leaving until it’s figured out.” 

 

“Y-yes, my lord.” She said, struggling to get up. The other troopers surrounding her were still unconscious on the dusty fields.

 

“Hmm,” Ren thought. “Whatever caused this must have a tremendous power. Could it be? No, I saw that ship elsewhere—not here.” As he thought of his pain, he saw the troopers struggling to get into shape.

 

“I...Stay behind. I’ll signal for a medic, Corporal,” He commanded. “I’ll investigate myself.” The troopers were shocked to see a compassionate gesture from Kylo Ren.

 

Opening the rickety door, the Supreme Leader heard what sounded like laughter in the distance. The old farmhouse, spanning three stories, looked like no one had lived here for decades. Still, there were signs of recent activity—windows with less dust on them, a few doors ajar. 

 

Walking further through the house, the laughter grew louder and louder in his head. Now, it sounded as if he was being watched. Whatever incapacitated those Stormtroopers had made Ren its next target.

 

“Show yourself, you coward!” Ren belted, igniting his lightsaber. “I’ll destroy this whole house to find you if I must!”

 

Slashing away at the rotting wood, the house began to shake. Knocking the Supreme Leader to his feet, his lightsaber fell out of his hand and rolled down a darkened corridor. Despite the presence of a few windows, no light showed what was on the other end.

 

Brushing his hair out of his face, Ren stood up and began walking down the darkened hall without a moment’s hesitation. As he walked through, the ceiling grew lower and lower. Eventually, it became so tight Ren couldn’t walk. Dropping to his knees, he crawled down the seemingly endless corridor. The wooden floors turned to carpet, which turned to tile, which turned to stone. The walls became increasingly narrow, reaching a point where he had to abandon his crawl and start moving along the ground like a snake. 

 

“What sort of parlor trick is this?” He said to an audience of none. “And why….why is the floor wet?” Looking down, Ren saw the stone flooring accumulated water. The puddles of water became deeper and deeper, until he became submerged. Trapped on all sides by narrowing walls and losing air, he had to think fast. His Force powers wouldn’t help him in this crisis.

 

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Ren saw his still-lit lightsaber deep in the water below. Using every amount of energy he still had, Kylo swam to the light. He figured if he had his saber, at least the darkened waters would be made visible. Swimming to the saber, the force generated by his bodily movements pushed the saber off the ledge it was sitting on and into a hole—just wide enough for him to fit through—below. 

 

Exiting this watery grave, Ren found himself in some sort of cellar yet it felt far too natural.

 

“What is this place? There’s something familiar about it…”

 

Looking into some underground pond, the Supreme Leader saw his reflection—broken up by the rocks in the water. He saw all his flaws, all his scars, all the mistakes. For the first time in a long time, he had a moment where he felt reflective. 

 

“Ah what’s the point,” He started, as he paced around the cave. “Why should I go on? All I’ve done is caused pain and destruction to everything everyone’s loved. This war means nothing to me. All I wanted was to get my revenge, and I failed at that. All I wanted was to inflict the pain they caused me, yet it just made it worse. Everything I’ve done in my entire life...a failure. A mistake. I’m nothing, I’m no one.”

 

_ Grave danger  _

 

“Huh?” He stopped, “What was that? Is someone there?”

 

_ Much fear in you _

 

“It’s the voice! That laughter!” He said. “Where are you?”

 

_ Masked by his… _

 

The Supreme Leader saw a cellar door at the top of this underground cavern. Climbing out, he found himself at the top of a hill—far away from the farmhouse or any civilization. All his electronics were ruined in the water. He was completely separated from the First Order and his crew. He’d have to walk back to the city, which he could see over the horizon behind him. He could return to the First Order base and tell them about the attack by the assailant in the home, lie that he killed them, and return to the First Order. He could go back to where had power.

 

Still, something compelled him to go forward. 

 

Running down the hillside, he began to shed his sopping wet clothes—leaving only his skin-tight undersuit. The setting sun beating down on the hill made in hotter than the rest of the surface. The sweltering heat exhausted and dehydrated Ren, a heat which would make a lesser man give in. 

 

Still, he kept pushing forward.

 

As he ran, the wolves began running alongside him. A red-orange color painted the horizon above. This was a view he would never have on a First Order warship. The sight of such pure, natural beauty took him back to his youth—Lothal reminded him of many of the planets he travelled to with his uncle. The memories began to flood over his psyche, drenching him with emotions ranging from nostalgia to anger to regret. 

 

Still, he kept pushing forward.

 

The field seemed to go on forever as night began to fall. Darkness took over the land. The only sight in the sky were the stars—no starships hanging overhead. He couldn’t see where he was running or where the wolves had gone. He heard howling off into the distance, though he didn’t know if they were the cries of a friend or foe. 

 

Still, he kept pushing forward.

 

Sunlight broke again on the land as the Supreme Leader stopped. Ahead of him, he saw a small forest in the middle of this grand prairie. The trees didn’t match any he had seen on Lothal or similar planets before, befitting more of a swamp. 

 

“Water!” He cried, his thirst parching him to sickness. His eyes caught the pond hidden by the trees, with water so pristine and inviting towards his needy body. The water seemed to be more clean than the swamp setting would imply. Guzzling away to quench his thirst, the Supreme Leader became blissfully unaware of the environment around him. 

 

“Perhaps I should rest a while,” He mused aloud. “I’m beginning to get used to this. Perhaps….perhaps I’ll just stay here for a while. There’s no sense in wandering further in the wilderness. They’ll deploy fleets to look for me—and I’ll only be aiding their efforts if I wait here.” 

 

Hunkering down by a fallen log, he continued, “And even if they never find me, who cares! I could find a new life living amongst the beast. I wouldn’t hurt anyone ever again, no one would know about Kylo Ren. These trees, this lake, those bushes...they do not hate.”

 

Breaking through the canopy above, the hot morning sun lulled Ren to sleep. “If paradise exists….” He mumbled before drifting off. “It’s right here.”

 

“Or perhaps you just haven’t seen it yet, hmm?” A strange voice called out.

 

“GAH!” Ren screamed. “Who is this? Wait...I know….from before! The laughter! The voice in my head!”

 

Ren bolted up, searching the forest for any sign of where this creature could be. The voice never sounded closer than it was now—it sounded as if it came from his back.

 

“See me, you cannot. Hear me, you can. Watched you for a long time, yes a long time, I have. Since you were a boy.”

 

“Who...what are you?”

 

“A question you will know the answer of very soon. Master Skywalker was right about you. Powerful in the Force, but afraid. Yes….very afraid. Like one I knew a lifetime ago.”

 

The trees and shrubbery began to shrink into the dirt as the water began to flood past its banks.

 

“Sleep, you cannot. A terrible dream is plaguing you, yes?”

 

“I...uh…” Ren said, unsure of how to respond. The water started to raise to his knees. He knew Luke had a habit of reading his mind, but he had no idea whatever this unseen presence did to reach the same conclusion. “Y-yes. A vision. Of a desert. There’s a woman and a child? I think they are slaves or fieldworkers or some peasant class. It seems so real…”

 

“Hmm….” 

 

“What? Are you going to tell me this is the result of my mistakes? My failures? That the Force is trying to save my soul? I don’t need another lecture!”

 

“No. It appears I was right. Far more powerful in the Force is he than I…”

 

The voice grew in volume, “Young Solo, learn the truth you will...if you jump in. Answer all your questions, I shall.”

 

With that, the voice faded away. Facing no other choice, Ren gave into the flood and submerged himself into the waters.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo discovers the interplay of time—past, present, and future.

_ The child slept in his cot, restlessly moving back and forth. There were things going on in his mind that the child’s mother couldn’t understand. Still, she tried her best to comfort the child despite their conditions. The child’s powers and attitude showed that they were destined for greater things, yet they would never get that life stuck on this rock…. _

 

“What is this place?” Ren said, floating through the water. As he did, he saw all of the vision of the woman and a child—both old and a new, where the child tossed around in great discomfort as he tried to sleep. 

 

“Is this me as a boy?”

 

“Hohohohoho…..”

 

The laughter of the presence from the forest coincided with the flood receding. Falling perilously through the air, Ren feared certain death. As he fell through the sky, more visions came intohis brain. They weren't of the boy, though, they were of a girl. She struggled daily for survival in the harsh desert. Threats were ever present. She saw a girl become a woman, having to learn everything by herself with no guiding hand. She had to learn to trust herself and no one else—going against her nature. Now he saw the woman flying throughout the galaxy on a quest, like she was looking for something. 

 

“Rey, that’s Rey,” He said. For the first time since The Supremacy, he could feel her emotions. The future terrified her. 

 

“Let go of what you have learned….feel the Force flowing around you….”

 

“Huh! Tell me something! I’m going to die!” 

 

“Death….hmph….fear death you need not. Death is the start of something new. A beginning! Not the end. Do as I say. You will find the answers you seek—only if you do, yes.” 

 

Ren kept falling, failing at what the voice instructed him to do. The feeling of the full force of gravity pulling at one’s body usually prevented them from remaining calm. As he kept falling, his speed increased to a rate which his suit start tearing at the seams and his lightsaber unhooked itself from his belt—quickly falling out of sight. 

 

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Somebody, anybody, help me!” 

 

_ “Reborn….today. With you always...your father.” _

 

“L-luke?” Ren replied, unsure of how Skywalker was here with him. “How!” The shock of Skywalker’s voice superseded the fright caused by his rapid descent. 

 

“Yes, it has to be the Force,” He thought. “Somehow, someway. This place….” 

 

He thought back to the house, the wolves, the run, the forest, the pond, and now this place. 

 

“All of these places….they aren’t real! This is all….this all has to be some sort of will of the Force. I remember reading about these places in a book, so strong in the Force they can manipulate the perception of reality….”

 

“Right you are, young Solo….” The voice from earlier called.

 

With that, Ren’s descent came to an immediate halt as he harmlessly floated down to a sea of black. There was nothing here but the endless darkness, leaving him feeling cold and helpless. 

 

Then, at once, a white path illuminated before him.

 

“Walk down and see who I really am, hmm?” The voice said.

 

“Well….if I’ve come this far,” Ren said. “I see no reason not to continue.”

 

As he walked down the path, which curved up and down with no discernable pattern. A series of voices and sounds played in time with each step—some known and some unknown. 

 

Reaching the center of the path, a small creature sat on what appeared to be a wooden stump. He was round, green, and had ears sharp enough to poke an eye out on. His clothes looked as old as the Jedi books Luke hauled around from planet to planet. 

 

“Hmmm, know who I am, do you?” It said, in the same voice as before.

 

“You are...the presence from Lothal. You have been behind everything, haven’t you?”

 

“Hmmhmhmhmhmhmh, what gave that away? The tree stump? Perhaps—” He started, before remembering something. “Oh right, this fell here. Belong to you, does it?” 

 

He pulled Ren’s lightsaber out of his tiny jacket and handed it to him. 

 

“I remember when you built that saber…proud you were. Struggled to make a lightsaber, yes? Many Jedi failed to do that. Some Jedi lose their lightsabers. Others can never build one. Some reject it entirely...” 

 

“Well, thanks for finding that. I’ll need that….one day.” 

 

“Hmm, need it? Why?”

 

“I….I’ll need it in a fight. With a Jedi.”

 

“Ah, a Jedi. Powerful Jedi is she, I have seen her. Far more powerful than you!”

 

“What do you mean by that? What do you know about the Jedi?”

 

“More than you!” The being laughed. Looking up to the sky, he erected another stump out of the ground.

 

“Sit, sit with me for a while. I will answer your questions...but only three. Then I speak. Yes, tell you what you must do...and where you must go.”

 

“Ok…” Ren replied, wringing the water out of his hair. “Who are you?”

 

“I taught the man who taught you. Yes. That I did. A powerful Jedi he became, but flawed he was. Lived too much by some old books, did he not? Not enough in here!” He said, poking a stick at Ren’s chest.

 

“I once was like him, yes. Lived too much by old books and old rules. Failed, yes failed to see what was going on. Failed to see what could’ve stop this all from happening. Jedi….thousands there used to be. Now there are just two left.” 

 

Technically answered his question, Ren was still dissatisfied at the lack of a name.  He also didn’t know what he meant by two Jedi left—perhaps he didn’t know about Luke yet. This beast obviously knew everything there could be known about the Jedi, yet he never heard his name or saw his picture in Luke’s teachings. Of course, Luke seldom taught about the Jedi of old…

 

“Only two, no more no less! We thought that would be true about the Sith, but not the Jedi! You know the Jedi, yes? Fight her, you will? Destroy the Jedi is your goal.”

 

“Well, I don’t….”

 

“Ah, you don’t wish to harm her. You merely think you must. So does she to you, hmm?” 

 

Ren didn’t quite understand what this creature was saying. “Look, I want straight answers. You’re wasitng my time!”

 

“Ah, patience, young Solo! Your old teacher thought I wasted his time, yes.” He looked all around the strange realm they were in. “Down here, time is nothing.”

 

"What is your next question? What more do you wish to learn, young Solo?”

 

Ren thought of asking how he knew his real name, but figured there would be more pragmatic questions to ask. “Well...I guess, what is this place?”

 

“Ah, yes. Confusing I see! I was confused too!” Using his stick, he pointed for Ren to look around at his surroundings. “This place exists beyond time and space. Outside the galaxy, outside the life...yet still within all things. Still within the Force we are. This place...the Force is it? Perhaps. Perhaps something more. I do not know….only one does.”

 

He stood off his stool and turned Ren’s head to the right using his stick.

 

“See? See the door? Through that door lies the past. Go through and alter events you can.”

 

Then, again using his stick, he turned Ren’s head the other way.

 

“That door? The future lies. Uncertain it is, as always in motion. Anything you do in one...can change the other. Past, present, future. Time exists not as three separate things, but as one.” 

 

“So can’t I just go through that door and see what my future holds?”   
  


“Ah, your third question that is!”

 

Ren got angry at the realization he wasted his last question. His haste and foolishness cost him once again.

 

“The door to the future opens only if you go to the past. But to alter the past requires you to know how your future goes, yes? So...how does your future go, young Solo? Tell you, does the dark side?”

 

“I….” He didn’t know whether to reveal himself—whether to open up—to this being he barely knew. 

 

“I don’t know. I thought, I thought in my anger I could find revenge that would give me peace. But it only gave me more pain. It only made things worse. I should just go away forever...that’ll stop making things worse. She’ll never see me again in that way, anyway, I ruined it in my selfishness.”

 

“Hmmmm,” He sadly replied. “Listen to me, did you not? Always in motion, the future is! Nothing set in stone. Nothing is marked. Everything can be changed if you do.”

 

He grabbed his cane and started to walk towards the door to the past, motioning for Solo to follow him.

 

“Look inside, what do you see?”

 

“I see...Starkiller Base….” Ren knew all too well what this scene was. He saw it frequently in his nightmares. “My father, me. I thought...if I killed him...the guilt and the light would go away. It didn’t. The pain, it’s unbearable! I mus, no,.I can change it!” 

 

Screaming with tears running down his face, Ren reached for his saber and started to run into the portal.

 

“I must stop myself!”

 

“Wait!” The being said, teleporting in front of Ren to block the door. “Remember, always in motion the future is. If you change the past, you change the future. This pain, would you still feel, that lead you to this place? Realized, would you, that no one should control you? Left, would you have, if you didn’t?”

 

“Well...no. But my father, he’d be—”

 

“Alive? Hmph? Worse fates than death, there is? Live on within you, does he not?

 

“I...uh…” Solo started. He had no words to respond. He didn’t quite understand what the being told him. 

 

“Many things, both good and bad, can shape us into who we are, young Solo. Learning this is the true mark of a Jedi.” 

 

The being walked over to him and pulled him to eye level. “But it doesn’t matter what we’ve done or what we can do. What matters is right now! What we can do now to make the world a better place! The need….”

 

“In front of my nose.” Ren finished, hearing this lecture too many times in his youth. The door to the past sealed permanently. Ren had no chance to get back in time, but he was ok with it. He looked at his father’s face one last time, seeing the dichotomy of love and regret within him.

 

“Father…” Ren said. “I’m sorry.” 

 

He looked down at his lightsaber—at the pain it caused and still possessed the capacity to cause—and knew what the need in front of his nose right now was. Looking over the edge of the pathway leading to the past, he broke his lightsaber in two and threw it down the bottomless chasm below the door.

 

“I don’t need this anymore. If I…” He started thinking aloud, unsure of what to do but knowing whatever he did would be right. “If I want to make things right, I must not seek to do harm.”

 

“Right you are, young Solo.” He answered, with a grin on his face. “Your mother’s wisdom and your father’s heart, you have.”

 

Handing Ben some robes reminiscent of the old Jedi, he said, “And with that, for you this place serves no more purpose. Climb up, take you where you need to go  it will. More knowledge and answers it will give you than I ever could. This planet of your dreams, you will find yourself. Find your future, you will. Make peace with the enemy, you will. Ren, eventually you will find.”

 

“Thank you...whoever you are.”

 

As Ben climbed up the ladder to the new door, an old friend joined the little being.

 

“Master, I don’t know how you got through to him.”

 

“Get through to him? Oh Skywalker, I didn’t do anything that wasn’t already there. Cannot change, will he or anyone, unless they will do it themselves. We can guide, but we cannot force. Know that yourself, you should.” 

 

Luke chuckled, remembering the conversation he shared all those years ago.

  
  



	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey learns what can be seen isn't always the truth.

_ The schoolchild was now an adolescent, mingling among the galactic elite. Life was easy for the child—with a moment’s notice they could be out in the field of their dreams with anything they wanted. Still, a sense of incompleteness dominated their mind. They got by, day-to-day, before the great crisis. Some panic happened. Something went horribly wrong. Knights from a far-off land were summoned to make things right… _

 

“These visions…” Rey said to herself as the Falcon broke into the Naboo system. “They are getting clearer and clearer.”

 

Before, Rey only had foggy and unclear sights of what they hold—feelings more than anything. As she approached the planet, a feeling of comfort and contentment grew within her. Surely this must be the planet her dreams, and Luke, were referring to—though she never read of any connection between Naboo and the Empire. 

 

She could clearly identify a face now. It was a teenage girl shorter than Rey, with long brown hair and facial features as heavenly-crafted as the waterfalls from before. More than that, she got a feeling for the character of this person—strong, like a lioness, with a protective spirit and a tremendous intellect. In a way, she reminded Rey of Leia. 

 

“Captain Rey of the Millenium Falcon, this is the Royal Naboo Navy. We received word from General Organa to expect your arrival. Please go to Docking Bay 1138 in the T-Block, sector HX.”

 

“Thank you, beginning landing sequence.”

While she had confidence in her piloting abilities, landing still gave Rey some trepidation. While she had a technical mastery of it never seen in a pilot before of her experience—especially in such an unruly craft like the Falcon—the idea of going back on a planet reminded her of home. As a girl, the thought of leaving Jakku frightened her. Now and all the times she landed, it would be a different world; one which she had no prior connection to like Jakku. She had mostly shed her loyalties to her old planet and accept that no one waited for her, but occasionally a childhood’s worth of abandonment would resurface. The pain would be with her always. 

 

Still, she wasn’t the best pilot in the Resistance for nothing. She landed the craft without any issue and departed to figure out why the Force told her of this place. 

 

“Chewie, Threepio. I think you should wait on the ship, I don’t know what this planet is like. I’d like someone to protect the ship, you know?”

 

As she started to walk out the ship, she heard a wheels going down the ramp.

 

“Artoo! That order was for you, too! I can’t risk anything happening to you.”

 

“Bwooaaah!” He angrily stated. In no uncertain terms, the droid would be following her. 

 

“Oh Artoo, but I need somebody to watch the ship! Chewie will be doing repairs and Threepio….” She said, looking back to see the droid ranting to the Wookie about how the Resistance hasn’t scouted what the new Naboo looked like. “Who else can I trust?”

 

“Beeeep boop bwaaaap!” He said with an increasingly obstinate tone. 

 

“You know Naboo? Since when!” 

 

“Booop,” He answered, revealing his manufacturing information”

 

Kneeling down, Rey read it to herself. “From the droid foundries of….the Royal Naboo Security Forces? Artoo, you’re from here?”

 

“Beeep!” 

 

“And you didn’t tell me this until we got to the planet?”

 

“Boooo….” He sadly beeped. Now the droid started to think he did wrong. 

 

“Ah well,” She replied. “Let’s let the past be the past. We’ve got a planet to explore. Something here, maybe someone, is going to show us the way. I don’t know what, but I have a feeling someone’s looking out for us.”

 

Leaving the docking bay, Rey noticed how rundown and antique it appeared. There was no metal or electronics to be found lining the walls—only limestone and marble structures. Vines adorned all the sides of the buildings. The age and life of the structures gave them beauty. She’d seen a lot of strange planets since joining the Resistance, but never one where the well-protected docking bays had shrubbery living on the walls. 

 

“Ah, Captain Rey! Welcome to Naboo! This is the first time anyone from the Resistance has been here since...well, ever!” Said an old woman in a bright purple dress. Her hair was bunched up in some incredibly complex style. It made Rey’s scalp hurt just looking at it—no practicality in the design. 

 

“Oh, where are my manners!” She said, leaning into a hug. “I’m Governor Jikol Nocika of the Royal Advisory Council! I’m afraid you won’t expect a hero’s welcome here as I’m sure you have elsewhere. Naboo has seen a great decline in population since the rise of the First Order. Many of our people have fled to other worlds, fearing the incoming war. Some here view the Resistance to be the caause of that...”

 

The two, with droid in back, started to leave the docking bay and onto the main road.

 

“But I don’t! Thankfully, the war hasn’t come yet. It’s remarkable. Here we are smackdab in the middle of First Order control and yet not a single Stormtrooper has even set foot on the planet.”

 

“I see.” Rey replied. If stopping the war didn’t bring her here—what did?

 

“Would you care for a ride to the palace? It’s just a short trip up the road and I can introduce you to the other governing authorities.”

 

“That would be fine, yes,” She answered. “Come on, Artoo, get in!”

 

Riding to the palace, Governor Nockila gave Rey the abridged history of Naboo. 

 

“We used to have a system of electing a monarch, you see? They’d be aided by the council and we had peace. But then, the Clone Wars happened which turned our whole society upside-down. The Empire took over and Imperial Rule superseded our culture. After the fall of the Empire, we started to peace back together our kingdom and old ways but we struggled. It We were missing something, but we didn’t know what! Naboo never reached their glory days again, before the dark days of war. Now the First Order makes it nearly impossible for us to recruit expats to come home. To make things worse, each day transports leave with more Naboo aboard out of fear of war.”

 

“I read there was another group of people here...the Gungans? What happened to them?”

 

“Ah...the Gungans. For generations, the Gungans and the Naboo feuded. We had peace. for a while. A few Gungans even helped the New Republic out! Though, after some time, they returned to the ocean and haven’t been since. This would’ve been a few years ago…”

 

Nockila turned to an attendant and asked, “Pillsap, how long ago did the Gungans retreat back into the sea?”

 

“Six, ma’am,” He said. “Their ruler said they felt a disturbance in the water and had to return home. ”

 

Rey thought to herself, “A disturbance? Could that be related to when Ben….” She recalled Luke mentioning that the Force was in balance before his nephew came to being. Maybe his fall agitated the Force further?

 

There must be some sort of connection to Ben Solo and Naboo, perhaps a connection linked to her dreams. Rey asked, “Governor Nockila, are there any archives of Naboo’s history? I’d like to learn more of your culture and past.” 

 

“Ah, you would want to go to the Royal Library across from the palace. It’s a beautiful building, I can take your there after I introduce you to the Court.”

 

She whispered something to the driver and spoke again, “Tell me, Captain Rey,” 

 

“Oh, Rey is just fine.”

 

“Well, Rey, the Princess, or your general,v tells me you are a Jedi. My grandparents told me stories of the Jedi of old and how they liberated our world from the grips of despair and desolation. Tell me, do you have one of those laser swords?”

 

“Well, uh,” She reached at her built for the still-defective lightsaber. “It’s complicated.”

 

“Ah, don’t to reveal yourself? I’ll keep a secret...I don’t have too much of a big mouth!”

 

Arriving at the palace, Rey saw a building not as beautiful as the one in her dreams. While the stonework was divine and the temple large, it had fallen into disarray and hadn’t been attended to in years. The society had seen better days—color had faded from the buildings and plants weren’t as lively. Even walking to the palace was a challenge as the stone pathway had sunken into the ground while cracking at seemingly every block. 

 

As she went up the stairs to the palace, Rey couldn’t help but notice the feeling in the Force which swept over her. It reminded her of when she first felt Luke’s absence of the Force on Ahch-To—no light and no dark, just nothingness. It felt worse than anything else in her life.

 

“Why is this place like that?” She knew something fishy was happening on Naboo—though didn’t know what. 

 

“Welcome to the Naboo Palace!” Nockila said. “This is the main conference room where all government business occurs. In absence of our usual monarchy, we’ve developed a council of the various planetary districts.”

 

Rey saw the six councilors—a mix of genders yet all looking older than IWG ships—sitting in a circle. 

 

“This is Malaj Yurram of the business district, Tisa Imas of the urban, Yorrec Garit of the agricultural, Sorri Enotem of the labor, Zemo Garenah also of the urban, and lastly Varra Derbli of the military.”

 

“Welcome to Naboo, Captain!” Councilor Tisa Imas warmly greeted. Rey recognized her face from a few holos in meetings with Leia. 

 

“Ahhhh, you must be Captain Rey from Organa’s army,” Councilor Malaj Yurram said. “We were told that you were coming. But…”

 

“But?” Rey replied. 

 

“What Councilor Yurram is trying to say,” Nockila interceded. “This war, isn’t our war. We barely have enough supplies for our own navy and our planet has fallen off quite a bit. I understand why Lei-General Organa may seek out our help for her cause, but you’ll have to tell her our answer remains no.” 

 

“I’m not here for the Resistance, though?”

 

“Really? Then why else are you here?”

 

“I…” Rey knew she couldn’t tell the truth, though lying felt rude. “I have to search for a Jedi artifact on Naboo.” 

 

“But there were never Jedi on Naboo? Or does your wisdom not tell you that?” Yurram noted. “And it would’ve been a long time ago. Surely nothing from them would remain. Right?”

 

“Would it really-” Rey started.

 

“Your presence here is a threat to the stability of this planet. If the hero of the Resistance is on Naboo, the people will think the war is here! You need to leave. This is just like Princess Leia, sending someone else to do her dirty work.”

 

“Easier there, Councilor,” Nockila said, pulling rank. “I’m in charge of this planet until we have a new queen. I understand you are concerned about the declining population in your wealthy district, but that’s no way to treat a guest.” 

 

The Governor turned to look at Rey. “I do believe I said I’d take you to the library, but I’m afraid—” She looked now at Yurram, “—that I have a problem to deal with.” 

 

With a snap of her fingers, a new attendant came at her side. 

 

“This is my most trusted staffer, Maylume Aeson.”

 

“Hello!” The eager young woman said. 

 

“She studied Naboo History at the University. Between her and the archivists, you’ll find whatever it is you’re looking for.”

 

“Thank you for all the help, Governor,” Rey said. Looking into the conference room again, she saw two of the other councilors talking with Yurram. 

 

“And no hard feelings, Malaj!” Rey smugly yelled as she and Aeson walked out the door. 

 

“Wow, no one has ever stuck up to Yurram before like that!” Maylume said.

 

“Is there a story with him, he seemed….” Rey replied, looking for a word she couldn’t find.

 

“Sexist?” 

 

“Yes...I suppose that would be it…”

 

“Oh the stories to tell,” Maylume started. “I’ll spare you the worst. He doesn’t like women in power. He thought once the monarchy ended a man would be selected as governor and all the problems would be fixed, but then the council chose Nockila over his preferred candidate—himself—and he’s been even pissier ever since.”

 

“But I thought Naboo had a proud history of being a matriarchal culture?”

 

“You would be right, Captain,”

 

“You can just call me Rey.”

 

“Ok, Rey. But that doesn’t mean all areas of Naboo society are like that. A lot of areas—the richer ones—have never really been a fan.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah. Its all a charade, everything. Even my plucky demeanor in there, back at the castle? All a lie. Politics is just a series of lies anymore.”

 

“Oh, I’m not really a political person. Where I’m from...well..”

 

“Jakku, right? Lawless wasteland, I’ve heard.”

 

“Lawless, yes, but a wasteland?” Rey didn’t know what she thought of this person—putting on a mask publicly to hide their private thoughts. Was it a survival technique? Or a way of advancing her own career? She didn’t like the woman insulting her home.

 

“Between you and me, I suspect Yurram and his business types are involved with the First Order. Nockila didn’t tell you everything. A lot of the evacuation is coming from the wealthy districts of the planet. They don’t fear war, they fear being discovered. There’s rumors constantly swirling…”

 

“What’s your point in telling me about it? I’m not from Naboo, I can’t do anything with your government.”

 

“I’m ambitious, Rey, but I also fear for my planet. Allying with Yurram and his kind would help my future, but they would lead the Naboo into a greater darkness. The decline of the infrastructure, the palace, most importantly the culture—everything can be traced to the time of the First Order being active. They began funnelling their money to their cause. I need you to use your connections with the Resistance to liberate my planet from the threat.”

 

“But the Governor, she said the war isn’t to come here—that’d it would upset the balance of the planet?”

 

“The Governor...is from a different time. The whole government is. They wax and wane for the days of old, where we had such noble politicians such as Amidala and…”

 

Hearing that name triggered an immense feeling within Rey. All of the dreams of the past several days and weeks were played back at once, while many new sights joined them. She realized who the child she had been seeing—Amidala.

 

“Wait...who is Amidala?”

 

“Padme Amidala?”  Maylume looked confused. “You don’t know Padme Amidala?”

 

“Well, where I’m from there’s more pressing concerns then learning the histories of far-off worlds. You know, survival?”

 

“Yeah, that’s true,” She reached in her bag for a book—an actual printed book—with a picture of Amidala. “Here, take a look at this picture of her.”

 

Rey looked at the picture and saw how beautiful, yet powerful, she looked even in print.The accompanying words failed to describe the strength of the woman that Rey sensed. 

 

“She was a Queen and Senator from Naboo. A legendary politician during the Clone Wars. She tried to pursue peace above all else, but wasn’t afraid to engage in some...aggressive negotiations!”

 

“She fought in the war?”

 

“Oh, she got her hands dirty a time or two. Her bravery on Geonosis inspired generations of Naboo politicians.”

 

Maylume looked at Artoo and thought for a moment. 

 

“In fact, your droid once belonged to her! Surprised the little guy is still kicking, he would’ve been issued some time ago.”

 

“Really?” Rey replied. “I knew he was from Naboo, but I didn’t know he was royalty.” 

 

“Hey little guy,” Maylume said, kneeling down. “What do you have on Padme Amidala?”

 

“Bwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaah!” Artoo angrily answered. 

 

“It seems whatever he knows, he doesn’t want to share?” Maylume replied, with a confused look on her face. 

 

“Loyalty to his old master, I guess,” Rey said. “I’ve never seen such devotion in a droid before.” 

 

“Well, no matter.” Maylume responded.  “The droid’s memory banks probably wouldn’t go back that far anyway. But, the library would get a kick out of seeing such an old Astromech.”

 

Rey circled back to the matter at hand. “What happened to Amidala after the war? During the Empire?”

 

“Oh, she died right as the war ended. It happened she was very young, while she was pregnant. For years we thought the baby died, but we eventually learned the truth.”

 

Rey paused and thought how much better the galaxy would have been if a woman of this caliber was around during the war. With her age, she could’ve helped Leia during the age of the Rebellion.

 

“Did she have any other family?” Rey started forgetting her actual purpose on this planet and now wanted to learn everything should could about this woman.

 

“Ah, we don’t really know. The Naboo monarchs were separated from their family and their families were kept private. Her real last name wasn’t even Amidala.”

 

“Oh, that’s unfortunate.”

 

“But....”

 

“What?”

 

“Well, a few years ago there was a major scandal surrounding your general, Leia. Her birth parents were revealed to be Amidala and the man who became Darth Vader...Anakin Skywalker.”

 

“Skywalker???”

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben finds his niche on Tatooine in an old man.

_ The child had grown. They could handle the scrap and waste to a better degree now. The woman was gone—but not forever. The child had responsibility now. While the child became a local celebrity for their exploits and adventures, they dreamed of nothing more than to be free. The child dreamed of a time where the woman and they would be united and off this planet. _

 

“Skywalker!”

 

Ben burst up at the sound of that name—so quick he hit his head on the low-ceiling of his bunk. Maybe he imagined his family name in the dream. Still, Ben had no clear image of what this child looked like—though he knew what planet the kid lived on.  

 

“Skywalker!”

 

Ben’s interest grew each time he heard the the name. Standing up, he put on his robe and left the bunk he found above a restaurant in Mos Eisley which he registered under a fake name. He paid for the room by giving the owner information about his customer’s taste in food as well as other odd-jobs. 

 

In the few months he’d been living on Tatooine, Ben’s appearance already began to change. He wore a beard and tied his hair in a bun to try to conceal his identity from any of the First Order troops stationed on Tatooine. The bun served a practical purpose in the desert climate of Tatooine, which Ben slowly acclimated to. He didn’t spend too much time outside out of fear of being spotted—the climate’s harshness to his skin also dissuaded him. Most of his days were spent indoors working or mediating on the Force. 

 

Looking in the cracked mirror by his bedside, he saw how much his skin and hair had already roughened and weathered due to the harsh climate. 

 

“How could she be so beautiful, growing up in a place like this…” He said to himself, looking at his reflection. “I should get a cowl, or something. Start wearing a hood.” He reached for the gloves he wore every day out of a fear of his skin drying out. 

 

As he walked down the stairs, he heard the men from earlier,

 

“Skywalker! That’s his ship, alright!”

 

“No, you fool! That ship belonged to Han Solo! That’s Solo’s ship!”

 

On the screen, a broadcast of a Resistance-affiliated media outlet detailing what happened on Starkiller Base and in the aftermath played. A few people sat in the restaurant in during this morning hour to watch it. In the broadcast, the Millenium Falcon flew around—the ship remained a symbol of freedom and justice throughout the galaxy. That ship darted straight into the heart of First Order territory, presumably to fight some battle or lead some insurgency.

 

“I’m telling you, that’s Skywalker’s ship. I heard the story of him leaving Tatooine in it where he fought off a whole battalion of Imperial stormtroopers by himself. Must’ve been some sort of Jedi trick.”

 

Under his breath, Ben chuckled. 

 

“Oh, I wouldn’t believe every story you’ve heard about Luke Skywalker,” Ben said, trying to hide his face in a stack of papers. A small group of First Order troopers were patrolling outside the restaurant. 

 

“Oh yeah, Dravem?” Said the eager one. “What would you know about Luke Skywalker?”

 

“Not much…” Ben replied. “But I’ve learned enough in my travels to never believe everything you see and even less of what you hear. Did you ever meet the man?”

 

“Well, uh…” The eager man stammered. “No. But I heard a lot of stories growing up of the great galactic hero! He was all over the holos in school about the war.” 

 

He paused for a moment before bouncing a question back at Ben. 

 

“Well, Dravem, did you ever meet him?”

 

The question made Ben think. Obviously, he was going to reply “no”—after the war his uncle kept his public appearances to a minimum. Deeper than that, though, Ben recently became unsure whether he actually knew his uncle or any of his family. He never knew the truth of his heritage, the war, and where they came from. He didn’t even know Darth Vader was his grandfather until a few years earlier.  He knew the stories of Darth Vader yet knew nothing of the man Anakin Skywalker. Did his uncle or mother know or were they as ignorant as him?

 

“Oh, leave the poor kid alone.” The owner said. “In fact, I did meet Luke Skywalker. As a boy! He never paid his tab at this restaurant. If he, or any of his kids or family, show up here...I’ll throw them out!” 

 

“Who would do that, just not pay for something?” Ben said. “Well...I should go make sure those ads were up at the Cantina. Last time they never posted them.”

 

“Yeah, good plan kid.” The owner said. He was an elderly Mirialan man who called himself Cook. His best days were clearly behind him, but he still kept going nonetheless. 

 

Ben overheard it as he left the store. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to be on this planet for too much longer. The storms had subsidized and he felt more comfortable going out of his area to see why he came to this world. 

 

Ben walked throughout the marketplace outside the restaurant and into the main square of town. Every time he did this, the widespread suffering and pain reverberated through the Force with such a power it almost brought him to his knees. From his history courses, Ben knew this planet had been dominated by crime and slavery for as long as time could remember. The Republic, the Empire, the New Republic—none of them had been able to make this planet right. Technology was generations behind and ships were falling to pieces. Crime remained the only surefire way, he gathered, to make a stable and consistent living. 

 

Still, as much as darkness reigned over the planet, the light remained ever present. Hope was endemic among the people despite all evidence to the contrary existing. People never gave up the idea of a better tomorrow and a better life. 

 

All these conflicting feelings within the Force overwhelmed Ben, who only just started to accept the light within him again. While he wanted to try to figure out who the child was in his dreams, he felt too stressed to go on for this day. He started to feel faint in the head, so he rested for a while on a bench. 

 

Right as he drifting into slumber, two stormtroopers approached him. 

 

“Oh...no!” Ben thought. “What’s my plan? What do I do? I can’t attack them nor can I reveal myself. I cannot run away…”

 

Before his thought could continue, one of the troopers spoke.

 

“Do you have identification on you? This bench isn’t for the homeless population.”

 

Fumbling around for his papers, Ben started to panic as he realized he left them in his footlocker during the hubbub of the morning.

 

“I’m afraid…” He said while futilely searching. “I don’t have my papers on me right now. But I have them in my locker back at my bunk. I can go grab them and I’ll be…”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” The other trooper replied. He grabbed his blaster and pointed it towards Ben. “Come with us peacefully and you won’t get hurt.”

 

Getting nervous, Ben realized he had no choice but to use the Force.

 

“You don’t need to see my identification.”

 

The Stormtroopers stood stunned and hesitated for a moment. It felt like a lifetime passed before his eyes as he waited to see if his mind trick worked. The waiting was unbearable. The Stormtrooper conditioning program tried to eliminate the risk of weak-willed individuals, unlike that of the Empire, but even Hux’s beloved program had its limits.

 

“We don’t need to see his identification.”

 

Ben sighed out his troubles. 

 

“You will let me go return to my home.”

 

“You can return to your home.”

 

Ben dropped his hand and left. Looking behind him, the two stormtroopers took their helmets off and shared a confused look at each other before sitting down in the bench. 

 

“Perhaps,” He said to himself. “I was a bit too strong in my persuasion?”

 

Entering the restaurant after the lunch rush and before the dinner crowd meant no one else was in the shop. 

 

“Hey, kid, I gotta ask you something.” Cook said, stepping out of the kitchen.

 

“Yeah, what is it?” 

 

“Well...you’ve been working for me for a few months now?”

 

“Yeah, can’t believe it’s been that long.” 

 

“Mmm, yeah. My question relates to that actually. Where are you from? You look far too regal to have grown up in the Outer Rim. Your skin is far too smooth!”

 

“I,” Ben started. “Chandrila. My mom was a Senator in the New Republic.”

 

“Really now? Well how did you end up all the way out here, son of a Senator?”

 

“Long story, I guess. A lot of bad choices. Needed a fresh start.”

 

“Yeah, Dravem, I get that. A lot of people come here searching for something new and clean out here. I’ve been in this shop for a lot of years and you aren’t the first privileged kid to come out here seeking to do something for himself.” 

 

Cook walked out from behind the counter, cleaning some dishes. It took him a few moments to move—the desert wasn’t good for the bones either. “And I can guarantee you won’t be the last. Tell me, Dravem, why Tatooine over all the other worlds?”

 

“I don’t know. Something just called me to it, I guess. Why did you come here?”

 

Cook joined Ben at the table, sitting across from him. “I came here around the time of the Clone Wars. My world was destroyed by the fighting armies so I had nowhere else to go. I could cook pretty good, so me and the Missus came out here. She’s long gone but the store remains. It always was our baby…” A tear welled up in his eye.

 

“I see, I never knew you were married. I’m sorry for your loss.”

 

“Ah, Dravem. That’s the thing. It doesn’t hurt too much anymore. I mostly look back on the good times. Some people never get to experience the power of love. I’ve seen a lot of strange things in my times, but nothing more powerful than that.”

 

Ben thought on his own life and how he rejected everyone who tried to show compassion towards him—especially Rey. 

 

“Hey, can I ask you another question?”

 

“Sure thing, kid. The crowd won’t be in for a few more minutes. But I’ll need you to wait tables tonight!”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Ben answered. “Did you really know Luke Skywalker as a kid? My mom...she knew him from the war.”

 

“Luke? Haha, of course I did! He came in here all the time with his aunt and uncle. His aunt loved this place. I always gave them a discount, such a nice family.”

 

Aunt and uncle? Luke never mentioned an aunt and uncle to him. 

 

“What were their names? If you remember?”

 

“Ah, that’d be a long time ago! My memory ain’t what it used to be, but I could never forget the Lars family.”

 

“Lars? Are there any of them left here?”

 

“Nah, they never had kids of their own. They raised Skywalker from a babe. Lars always said his brother died as a navigator on a spice vessel, but I knew the truth.”

 

“The truth?”

 

“Yeah, Luke Skywalker’s dad was a famous Jedi Knight from the Clone Wars. Anakin Skywalker! He was from Tatooine too, though that’s before my time. But the name came up a time or two.”

 

For the first time, Ben knew something about his grandfather before he put on the mask. He was, like his son, once a boy on Tatooine. 

 

“Do you know if there’s anyone still around that knew him?”

 

“What are you doing, kid, researching long dead Jedi? Hahaha, oh….” He stood up to return to the kitchen. Sitting for that long made his back start to hurt. “That was a long time ago, Dravem!” He yelled from the kitchen. Ben went to join him to start planning for the crowd of patrons. “Now, you’ve been asking me a lot of questions today…”

  
Cook saw the dinner rush coming towards the restaurant.  “But I have a quick one for you,” 

 

The door started opening and closing, signalling the arrival of customers. The dinner rush would be in full force on this night.

 

“Ah, I’ll save it for later, Dravem, cause we have work to do!”

 

During the bustle of waiting tables that night, Ben thought back on the dreams from earlier and the conversation with his boss. He thought of his adventure on Lothal and the men from this morning. Somehow, these were all connected through the Force. He came to Tatooine to be shown something, but he couldn’t see whatever it was yet.

 

After a tough night’s work and the other employees left for their homes, Ben sat in the dining room exhausted. 

 

“Boy oh boy,” Cook said, heaving and coughing. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

 

“Do I need to get a med droid?” Ben said. “Are you ok?”

 

Taking his pills with a big swig of water, Cook replied, “Oh, I’m fine. Just need to rest up. Kid, could you help me to my room?”

 

“Yeah, I can,” Ben grabbed the man. Even though Ben had only been on Tatooine for a month, he could tell Cook had grown frail and weaker in this time. 

 

Entering into Cook’s apartment in the back of the restaurant, he sat his boss down in his big chair by his bed. The chair looked to be far nicer and more valuable than anything else in the apartment. It’s beautiful shades of purple and blue, with red trim, contrasted the rest of the drab furnitures in the unit. 

 

“Oh…..” He moaned. “That’s better. Thanks Dravem, you’re a good one.”

 

“Yeah…” Ben replied. Little did his boss know his real identity and all the awful things he’s done. Cook wouldn’t think he’s good if he knew the truth. 

 

Changing the subject, Ben asked, “Are you going to be ok here tonight? Or should I stay down here?”

 

“I’ll be fine, yeah,” He answered. “Just needed some help with getting these old bones some rest.”

 

Smacking his lips, Cook’s head started bobbing back and forth. Thinking he was in the clear, Ben started to get up and leave.

 

“Wait!” Cook said, cocking his head up. “Did I ever tell you the story of how I got this chair?”

 

“No, you haven’t.”

 

“Ah, it’s a good one. Sit back down and I’ll tell you.”

 

Ben ran his hands through his hair to retie his bun, which loosened after working the night, and sat down on the beat-up stool in the apartment.

 

“Many years ago, before I came to this planet. I played a lot of cards on Mirial. Well, in one of my last games I played against a Jedi!”

 

“A Jedi? They gambled?”

 

“Ah, the Jedi did many things they weren’t supposed to! This Jedi, having her force powers and what not….well I thought she had me beat for sure. She could, oh what’s it they do…”

 

“Wave their hands?”

 

“Yeah, that. Wave their hands, see through the cards. All sorts of magical mumbo jumbo like that.”

 

Cook leaned a bit back more in his chair and reached for a blanket off his bed. He tried to wrap it around himself, but struggled. Ben took the cue to help him. 

 

“Thanks...where was I...oh yes,” Cook pointed up into the air, like he was searching for words. “The card game! So there I was, down big. All my chips were pushed into the table. I was done, stone broke if I didn’t win this hand. The Jedi, she has me beat for sure. I had an awful hand.”

 

“What happened then?”

 

“Well, she wanted to raise the stakes. She put her lightsaber on the table!”

 

Ben gasped at that. He remembered from his training that a lightsaber in the hands of a non-Jedi is extremely dangerous.

 

“And?”

 

“Well, the owner of the club bet the deed to the club and I, who had nothing left to bet, decided to bet...myself!”

 

“Yourself?”

 

“Yep. I said if I lost that hand, I’d work for the club for free.”

 

“But you knew the Jedi could see through your bluff? She’d know that your hand was bad?”

 

“Yep, but I had no choice…kid you ever play cards?”

 

“Me...uh….” Ben thought of all the times as a boy he tried to sneak aboard the Falcon while his dad “entertained” guests with a game of Sabacc. Eventually, once he was old enough—and his mom became ok with it—he taught his son to play. To this day, Ben was one of a few who could say they beat Han Solo in cards, though no one knew that. “Little bit.”

 

“Ah, we should play sometime. I haven’t played in years...oh yes the story!” Cook pushed himself up a little bit so he wouldn’t fall asleep.

 

“Well, whether I had a stroke of luck or someone upstairs looking out for me, I won the hand! I didn’t even ever show my cards. My bet scared off everyone but the Jedi. The Jedi, well, she had a worse hand than me!” 

 

“So, did you get the lightsaber?” 

 

“I’m getting there, I’m getting there. Well, after the game was done I told the owner of the club that he could keep the deed. I was just glad to win! But he insisted on paying his debt, so we settled on this chair. Served me well for many years…”

 

“And the Jedi?”

 

“Well, I have no need for a laser sword. I’m a chef! But she, too, insisted on paying her debts. So…” He reached for a picture in the end-table by his bed and handed it to Ben.

 

“That’s….” Ben said. “That’s your wedding?”

 

“Yep! I asked her for a date! One thing lead to another and eventually we got married.”

 

“But I thought the Jedi couldn’t fall in love?”

 

“Right you are, Dravem!” He answered. “Boy, you know a lot about the Jedi...well anyhow she couldn’t marry me and still be in the Jedi Order. So she left!”

 

“She left?”

 

“Yes, she did. I told her she didn’t have to leave and I’d understand if this higher purpose pulled her away. But she was adamant that nothing would be a higher calling for the rest of her life than love.” A big smile illuminated Cook’s face. 

 

“Kid, she’s been dead now for years yet it feels like she’s still in that bed next to me. She still lives on in my heart for as long as it beats. I hope one day you can find something like that to some lucky person…”

 

“Hey Cook?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“How about we get a deck of cards out and play, see if I can’t beat the man who beat a Jedi?”

 

“Ah,” He reached back into the nightstand. “You’re on, kid!”

 

They played a few rounds as Cook shared more stories of his wife. After a while, he grew tired. Cook drifted off into sleep in his chair, face still lit up by the smile. Ben went upstairs to his bed. For the first time in a long time, he felt that he did something good for another soul. Maybe this was the whole reason he was sent to this planet, so that he could become a good person detached from the rest of the galaxy with none of the baggage of his past. 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey discovers the truth of the Skywalker family.

_ The girl sat in her castle, alone, pondering the events of the day. The fate of the people and a world rested on her shoulders, though she didn’t even know if she could handle the burdens of being a person. She seldom had time to rest and reflect on her life. No time to learn and grow. Stuck between childhood and adulthood, this crossroads presented the greatest obstacle in her life.  _

 

“Skywalker???” Rey frantically said. Hearing the name conjured up new images in Rey’s head of the girl—who may very will be Amidala. The chaos of some sort of new role bothered her tremendously. Doubt swelled within her. These feelings, which felt as close and real as her own, resonated greatly with Rey. She needed to find her place in the universe, in the grand plan. She didn’t know what fate meant for her..

 

“Yeah, you know him?”

 

“Well…” Rey decided if she was going to get anywhere with learning more about Padme, she would need to let her guard down a bit. “I knew Luke Skywalker. Kind of.”

 

“Luke Skywalker? We always figured he took that name to inspire hope that the old ways would come back.” Maylume stopped and thought for a moment. “We didn’t even know if he was a real person or not. Is he actually the son of Anakin Skywalker?”

 

“That’s what Leia said,” Rey said. “I also know that Darth Vader stopped being Darth Vader. He turned back to the light. But I never knew they came from the Naboo…”

 

“Well, this changes everything…” Maylume said, with a hint of ulterior motives tinting her words. “We thought the old ways of the Jedi, banning marriage and love and all that, meant this wouldn’t be true. We swore...after the story broke, that Vader must have assaulted our queen to create his hellspawn. But this….the Elder will want to hear about this for sure.”

 

“Hellspawn?” Rey asked.

 

“Oh, well,” Maylume stammered. “We, uh. Well... would you fall in love with someone as evil as Vader? It had to be an attack. At least that’s what I was brought up to believe”

 

“That's not what Leia said.”

 

“Well, that's what The Elder said.”

 

“The Elder? Is he at the Royal Library?”

 

“He’s at a library, yes. But not the Royal Library. If you don’t mind, would you be willing to venture outside the city to go to a different library? They’ll have as much information as the Royal one on the Jedi and any presence on Naboo...” Maylume looked around to make sure no one followed them. “They’ll also be interested in hearing what you know about Luke Skywalker.”

 

“Um…ok. Where is this library?”

 

“Just a ride away.”

 

“By speeder?”

 

“By boat.” 

 

Venturing deep into the forest of Naboo, Maylume told Rey more information that the Governor had lied to her about. 

 

“The Gungan didn’t retreat into the waters. They were forced into it by the previous Naboo governor. A lot of the wealthy people on Naboo didn’t like the increased role of the Gungans in Naboo affairs.”

 

“So, what happened to the Gungans?”

 

“They went back to how they were living before—completely independent of the Naboo. A few Naboo, who were sympathetic with the Gungans, went down into the ocean with them in their exodus. The government doesn’t talk about this either.”

 

“How are they living down there?”

 

“A town, much like the Gungans. Though it’s separate from Gungan laws and culture, they work closely together.”

 

“And how does this relate to the library we’re sailing too?”

 

“Sailing?” Maylume pushed a button on the boat. “We’re diving!”

 

Penetrating below the surface of the water, the darkness became light as the grand cities came up on the undersea horizon. 

 

“There, there’s where we’re going. Yitaeous is right there.” 

 

“Yitaeous?”

 

“That’s the human settlement. Here, I need to send the clearance code in.” 

 

The door to the small town opened and their craft landed inside. A big bubble protected them from the flow of the water. The fish swimming in the sea surrounded the entire city—almost like the humans were living inside the fish bowl.  

 

“Rey, you’ll need to take a minute to adjust to the pressure,” Maylume said. “You aren’t used to it as I am, pressure sickness can be fatal.”

 

“How are you so used to it?”

 

“Maylume!” A large woman carrying a small boy said. “You’re home!”

 

“T-that’s why.”

 

“And who is the friend?” The woman said.

 

“Is she from the surface?” Said a man with a large, grey beard. “Can we trust her?”

 

“Mom, dad, this is Captain Rey of the Resistance. She’s going to help us free Naboo from the First Order and she has some new information for our library.”

 

“Well, nothing in life is free,” Maylume’s father said. “Tell me, Rey, what’s your price?”

 

“Oh, I don’t need anything but information on a woman called Amidala...and I suppose anything you have on the history of the Jedi on Naboo.”

 

“Well, to the latter point I can say we have nothing,” Her mother said as she set the child down. Maylume went off with the child into a small house. “But to the former…”

 

“Come with us, Rey,” The father said. “Let’s find out why our daughter thought so highly of you.”

 

Walking through the small village, Rey noticed the differences between the surface world and the undersea town. While the buildings above were all ornate and elaborate, they were falling to pieces. The village below had small and compact structures, made out of whatever they could find and worked. Yet, they were kept in far nicer condition than the surface. She saw children and families living together happily down below, with the streets brimming with life. The roads above were dead and desolate. Besides her tour guides and governmental officials, she didn’t see a single other person. But still, this place didn’t feel right in the Force.

 

They stopped at a building which matched the design of the buildings on the surface. A big, ornate stone door blocked the entrance. 

 

“Let me enter the code…” The man said, reaching towards a keypad that looked generations obsolete—reminiscent of the technology on Jakku. “There, welcome to the Last Naboo Archives!” 

 

“Last? But there’s the Royal Library on the surface?” Rey questioned.

 

“Oh sweetie,” The woman said. “During the Empire, many of our records were lost or destroyed. Specifically regarding Padme Amidala.” 

 

“After the war,” The man said. “The government tried to rebuild the records. But it became apparent things were missing or altered by the Empire.”

 

“So someone didn’t want information about Amidala to exist?” Rey asked.

 

“Precisely!” Maylume answered.

 

“So we decided to start our own archives on the surface!” The woman said. “Where nothing would be changed from its original condition. We could rebuild the history and culture of our people in peace, without meddling from the wealthy Naboo who see us as merely tools for their gain.”

 

As they entered in the building, the smell of old books and paintings blasted Rey. It was a smell she didn’t know, but it comforted her all the same. 

 

“Wow…” Rey said. The scope of it all overwhelmed her. “This is all just to preserve your history?”

 

“My lady,” An elderly man said, poking out from around a statue of what looked to be an ancient Naboo queen. “There’s nothing more important than the past.”

 

“Elder Aeson, my father,” Maylume’s mother said. “This is Captain Rey of the Resistance. She has some information for you to add to the archives.”

 

“Really now?” The Elder said, reaching for his cane. Hobbling towards Rey, he grabbed a stool to sit on. “What is it that you have to share?” He saw Artoo standing a few feet behind Rey. “Is it the droid? That droid belong to...hmmm...Queen Amidala.”

 

“Well, no,” She answered. “The droid isn’t a donation. But I do have some information on Queen Amidala. She had given birth to Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, famed heroes of the Rebellion.”

 

“How did you find this out?”

 

“From Luke Skywalker himself.”

 

“Skywalker is real, then? Interesting…I'd like to meet him.”

 

“What other information do you have? That’s hardly anything new. We all knew Skywalker destroyed our people and our culture,” Maylume’s father said.

 

“Well…..I….” Rey answered. “I know that Darth Vader turned to good at the end? I know that his heart wasn’t as evil as you make it out to be.”

 

“What?” The Elder said. “You expect me to believe that the Lord of Darkness himself became a good man at the end?”

 

“That’s preposterous!” Maylume’s father said. “Surely the Centrist investigations would have uncovered that after the truth about Organa came out.”

 

“You must believe me, you have the story all wrong,” Rey said. “I’ve looked at some of your works. Maylume told me about them.”

 

“She did?” Maylume’s father asked. Maylume started to look pale.

 

“Yes!” Rey answered. “And you have it all wrong! Anakin Skywalker did not attack Amidala. They loved each other! He was a good man who became bad, yes, but he turned to the light again!” Saying these words, Rey’s thoughts drifted to another.  “I felt this truth through the Force at the sight of her!” Rey said. “I am a Jedi, much as they are, you have to believe me. Your obsession on the past has clouded your vision of the future.”

 

“Well what does she know!” Maylume’s father said. “We can’t simple add something to the archives based on hearsay and intuition! We need proof! Forgive me, I know this isn’t my place.”

 

“No, no, no. That’s a fair point. Young Rey, do you have any proof? Anything we can...add to the archives?”

 

Rey looked puzzled as Maylume believed her without hesitation. 

 

“Well no I don’t have proof, I mean, are you looking for some sort of birth video? Or confession of love? All I can say is when I heard that name, and thought of what Luke told me, and felt through the Force...it all became clear to me. The truth of Skywalker.”

 

“Trust the Force?” The Elder said. “I know many things, but I do not know the Force. Tell me, young one, why should I trust the Force? The Jedi couldn’t help my people. They couldn’t spare us the tyranny of the Empire or the pain of the new conflict.”

 

“Young lady,” The father said. “We learn from the past and we see the past of the Jedi wasn’t good. For the sake of my people and the galaxy, I hope they never return. Your Resistance isn’t lead by a Jedi.”

 

“She’s the child of a Jedi!”

 

“And a Sith.” Maylume’s father said. Bowing towards the Elder Aeson, the father apologized for wasting his time. 

 

“Tell me, girl,” The Elder said. “If you are a Jedi, do you have a lightsaber? One of those would give me enough proof. I haven’t seen one of those blades since the great crisis…”

 

“Well, it, uh,” Rey replied. “I can try…” She unhooked her lightsaber and tried to ignite it but it failed.

 

“Well that says everything,” Her father says. “Captain Rey, I want you to leave this town and never return. Maylume, we’ll talk after you escort our ‘guest’ to the surface.”

 

Rey stormed out the library, hellbent on swimming to the surface if she had to. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. The doubt she experienced everywhere she went in the galaxy made her angry.

 

“Rey, wait!” Maylume said. “Don’t mind my father. He’s a bit...stuck in his ways. You know how fathers can be, right?” 

 

Rey stopped, as if a scar reopened. “I never knew my parents. I’m…” 

 

She thought back to the Supremacy, where Kylo Ren told her what she always knew—her parents were dead and nothing. She had no family. She had nothing. Wherever she went, people had family in their corner helping them. But she was all alone in this galaxy. No planet to call home, no people to call a community, and no family to go to. She had no one.

 

“I’m leaving Naboo. I’m not welcome here. My work here is done. Can you take me back to the surface?”

 

“If that’s how it is, I can take you back to the surface. I’m sorry things didn’t work out, Rey, I believe you.”

 

Entering in the boat, the two burst to the surface and started sailing back to the coastline. Compared to their trip there, the trip back was far more silent. Still, the fact that one soul on this planet believed her comforted Rey. She came to realized that shedding fear and anger could only happen through changing hearts and minds. 

 

“Well...I guess this is it. I’ll have to go back home until next week for the council meeting. They don’t know I, or any other person, lives down there.”

 

“Yep, goodbye Maylume. Thanks for everything. I’ll….I’ll still inform the Resistance about the condition on Naboo.”

 

“Thank you, Rey!” She said, as she broke below the surface again.

 

“Well Artoo, I guess it’s just you and me again. Let’s get back to the Falcon…” Rey dejectedly told the droid. She began to think she overreacted at the sensation of the name ‘Amidala’—she wasn’t trained or skilled enough to trust her intuition that much yet. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey discovers the truth of Anakin.

_ The girl left the world, needing to seek guidance and protection for her people elsewhere. The invaders weren’t going to let that happen—they knew if they let her leave the world, their whole empire would collapse. Throwing everything they had at her, they nearly destroyed her before her journey began. Thankfully, someone who would become a lifelong friend made his appearance known to the invaders. _

 

Touching Artoo, Rey saw a vision of his past. Many droids were sent out to repair the ship of Amidala in the face of certain doom. The other droids all died trying to save the ship, leaving Artoo as their only hope. 

 

“Artoo? Did you really save the Queen all those years ago?” Rey asked, unsure of the validity of her dream. 

 

“Bwoooo!” Artoo said, as a holo projected onto the ground. 

 

Rey knelt down to get a better look at it. She saw three figures: a young man, a beautiful woman, a priestly-looking man in the middle between them. Looking closer, she realized the woman was Amidala and the man...was Skywalker.

 

“Artoo, is this a wedding?”

 

“Beeeeep!”

 

“Were you...there?”

 

“Beeeep!”

 

“And you recorded it and kept this video for all these years?”

 

“Booooooop”

 

“Why didn’t you show it down there? To clean his name?”

 

“Boooooooooooowwwwwah!”

 

“A secret? No one could find out? The Jedi didn’t like marriage?”

 

“Beeep!”

 

“More than just the Jedi?” Rey had more questions than answers now—though it comforted her to know that her intuition is better than she gives herself credit for being. “Artoo, can you connect to General Organa’s comlink from this far? Or will we need to go back to the ship for that?”

 

“Booooowap, beeep, booop.” The droid tried to reach across the stars to contact Organa. 

 

“Rey? Rey? Is that you? It’s the middle of the night out here.” The General said, wearing her pajamas. 

 

“Leia, it’s me.” Rey said, glad to have a stronger signal to contact the General. “Something urgent happened on Naboo. Who is your mother?”

 

“My mother or my birth mother?”

 

“Your birth mother.”

 

“Ah, I knew this would happen if you went to Naboo.” She said, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. “Yes, my mother was a popular Senator and monarch of Naboo. History repeats itself sometimes, doesn’t it?”

 

“Did your mother create the Empire?” Rey asked, thinking back to Luke’s previous instruction. 

 

“Create the Empire?” Leia responded, confused at how Rey came to such a thought. “I know she was in the Senate when the Empire seized power, but she did not participate in it. She fought for peace her whole life.”

 

“What else do you know about her? I feel...this strange connection in the Force to her. No one on Naboo can help me.”

 

“Well, I can’t help you with the Force stuff. I don't know much. It seemed the Empire went to the extreme to erase her.”

 

“Leia, where did the First Order come from? Could this have something to do with the creation of the Empire?”

 

“It’s a difficult story to tell. After the war, many of the Empire’s leaders fled into the unknown regions. We tried to show compassion to them.”

 

“You let them live?”

 

“Yes, Rey,” Leia said. The decision still haunted her—thirty years later she had no idea whether they were right or wrong. “We let them live. We didn’t want to give into our hatred of them—our fear of them. If we killed them, would we be any different?”

 

“But what if they came back?”

 

“And that’s what happened. But a few did change. A few managed to reform themselves and become great members of the New Republic…”

 

“Rey, there was a time I thought the First Order posed a new threat to the galaxy. But it’s nothing new. It’s the same fight as before. We, the Rebellion, didn’t defeat what caused the Empire. We didn’t get to the root of why people would willingly accept evil controlling their lives. People are scared for themselves, their future, yes. But more troublingly is how people are scared of themselves. They do not trust themselves or their fellow person. So they’ll give into this fear, and trade themselves away for security. That’s what we need to do differently this time. Victory can only come through overcoming fear.”

 

“But...why wouldn’t you have tried to help the people after the war? Was the New Republic bad all along?”

“Overcoming fear is something far beyond government,” Leia felt what troubledRey. “Rey, why don’t you take some time on Naboo to try to see what you can’t find out? Maybe exploring the planet will help you out? The Resistance is fine without you for a while. We’re lying low for a while on these Union ships until the First Order cools down. But promise me, Rey, that when you are done on Naboo you will come back here before you go anywhere else.”

 

“Really? Thank you, Leia, I won’t waste this opportunity.”

 

“Remember this, Rey, if you look enough, you’ll always find what you need.”

 

Rey pondered those words. Did Leia know what she was looking for?

 

“And may the Force be with you, Rey.” The signal cut out and the projection of Leia went away. 

 

“Well, Artoo, hopefully she can get back to sleep.” Rey looked up at the sky and saw the sun starting to set out on the coastline. “Hmm, we’ll need camp soon ourselves, Artoo. Should we go back to the town? The ship?”

 

“Boooooooowwap,” He replied. 

 

“Yeah, you’re right. We probably wouldn’t make it back there on foot in time.”

 

Rey looked around the forest and started figuring out the impromptu camp in her head. A few leaves, some logs, a nice mound of sticks—it wouldn’t be a palace but it would do. 

 

“I better get to work, Artoo. You stay safe here and monitor the skies for any sign of the First Order. If Maylume is right, they can’t be far behind...knowing that I’m here.” Rey still couldn’t comprehend going from a literal no one to the most wanted person in the galaxy. The fear of being caught by some Stormtrooper meant less to her than the fear of having to face Kylo Ren again—which was far easier when she hated him. 

 

Rey hiked through the forest gathering materials to assemble a small shelter and a fire. Doing this, she thought of her past life—scavenging stuff from the dirt and ground to stay alive. What was once arms and ship scrap was now logs and leaves. 

 

“These plants, so green and full of life,” Rey remarked. “I used to doubt the existence of such worlds.” She thought back on the first time she landed on Takodana. The sight of all the plants shocked her mind. Landing on the planet, it all overwhelmed her. She didn’t know what that sensation then, now she knewit was connected to the Force. She learned the Force works in all life—extending down to the simplest life forms—and all this life is connected through the Force. What impacts one, impacts another. 

 

Was this the nature of her connection to Kylo Ren? While there was nothing as clear as the sights and sounds of their previous encounters, she swore she could still feel his emotions within her heart. But a few days ago, it mysteriously stopped again. Could this be that he renounced the light once and for all, breaking their connection? Did he die? Or something worse?

 

“No…” She thought aloud. “If that happened, Leia would know. She’d tell me.” 

 

Somehow, Rey knew that the General knew of her connection to her son. Maybe this comforted her in someway? Brought peace to a worried mother’s heart? Leia became sort of a mother-figure to the Resistance as a whole and Rey. but nothing could replace her son. Leia could never give up on her son, even if he was completely lost. That’s the power of a parent, one which Rey would never know. 

 

“Oh, it’s getting dark,” Rey noted the arrival of dusk. “I should hurry up.” 

 

Kneeling on the ground to look for the right-sized stones for her fire, Rey saw two possums chasing each other on the forest floor. Darting up and down the trees, through the fallen leaves, hiding in the dirt—it seemed the two were having the time of their lives.    
  
“What I would give to be an animal like that,” She said. “To be without a care in the world. A simple, easy life. No fighting. No scavenging. Just a peaceful existence.”

 

“But that’s not the life for me, I guess the Force has a larger plan.” 

 

Rey walked back to camp and set up her shelter and the fire. 

 

“Artoo, do you have a lighter like Beebee?” 

 

“Boooooowa!” The droid responded, spitting out a lighter for Rey to keep. 

 

“Thanks, Artoo! We may not have food, but at least we’ll be warm,” She said, resting her back on a log the perfect size to lean on. It was just like on Jakku, no one around her for as far as the eye could see with no one to care about her. She could see all the stars in the sky this deep in the forest. The sight of one star, for whatever reason, gave her a sense of great comfort. Using the light of the fire, she took out the lightsaber and started looking at it again. 

 

“Why won’t you work?” She pondered. “I’ve tried everything I know, yet you still won’t work. Even the Force...you only turned on for a few brief moments. Maybe there’s a part I’m missing…”

 

Before Rey could continue, she vaguely heard a sound off in the distance. 

 

“Huh? Who is that? The First Order?” Rey looked into the distance, turning on Artoo’s lights to try and spot anyone. She didn’t see anyone so she went back to the saber. Again, she inspected everything technically but had no ideas how to repair it.

 

“Hey Artoo?”

 

“Beeep?” The droid chimed before he powered off for the night.

 

“What do you have in your memory banks about building lightsabers? Anything?”

 

“Boooooo…” He replied. The droid had many secrets stashed away but nothing about lightsabers.

 

“Well, it was worth a shot. Hmm….” She said. 

 

“Hey, one more thing, what do you know about Anakin Skywalker?” Rey asked, starting to doze off herself. “Maybe...Maylume is right? And Luke is wrong? Maybe he is evil...how could you fall in love with someone as evil as Darth Va-”

 

Rey stopped herself, realizing the irony of her words. 

 

“Bwoooooop,” The droid said, starting a holoreel stored deep in his memory banks.

 

Rey’s eyes opened widely, staring at the man flying what looked like a Clone Wars-era fighter. He looked remarkably similar to Kylo. A highlight reel of battles and triumphs played before Rey. 

 

“Is that Anakin?” Rey asked, impressed at his skills with a lightsaber and spaceship.

 

“Beeep!”

 

Even through the hologram, Rey could sense the trouble and pain within him. This wasn’t an evil man—but a broken one. 

 

“Artoo, do you know why he turned to the dark side?”

 

“Booooooooo,” The droid replied, looking for a painful video.

 

_ “I won’t lose you, Padme.” _

 

_ “I won’t lose you the way I lost my mother.” _

 

“He…” Rey started. “He was afraid. Afraid of death. This fear, that’s what caused it.” In that moment, Rey felt a tremendous connection with the man she never knew. 

 

“I should get some sleep, tomorrow we’re going to walk until we find...something.” She said. “I don’t know what we’re looking for, but Leia told me if I look I’ll find what I need.”

 

That night, Rey had no vision or dreams of Naboo or of Amidala. To her, this meant she was on the right track, at least, to figuring out why she was having these visions. It had something to do with Padme and her family, but she didn’t know what. That night, Rey had no dream of Amidala.

 

“Well Artoo, let’s get going,” Rey said. “Come on, are you up? Charge levels doing ok? Do you need any work done?” 

 

“Bwwaaooo, beeeeeep,” He answered.

 

“Alright, then let’s go!” 

 

As dawn turned to morning which turned to afternoon, she still didn’t find what she was looking for. The Naboo forest contained much beauty and a lot of life, but not too many answers on former queens. 

 

“This is odd,” She commented. “We’ve been walking for hours now. Surely we’d have returned to the city now? Or at least some town or settlement?”

 

“Boooooooo….” The droid answered, equally puzzled as Rey. 

 

“It’s like we’ve been walking in a big circle all day. Like...like….” 

 

A thought came into Rey’s mind about why they feel lost. 

 

“This…” She said. “The Force sent me here, Artoo. I’ve been trying to solve this puzzle using history and records.”

 

She cleared a spot on the ground of the forest; a spot where the sun perfectly broke through the canopy to illuminate her. 

 

“The Force is what will guide us.”

 

Getting into the same position as she routinely did aboard the Falcon, Rey closed her eyes and let go of her conscious self. She cleared her mind of all her thoughts, fears, and worries. She shook all of the images of her past, the dreams plaguing her, the inhibitions. She focused instead of the sounds of nature. She focused on the the birds flying in the sky, singing their song. She focused on the memories of the possums, without a care in the world. She thought of the trees, with roots spanning the whole planet providing a foundation for the whole forest. The squirrels, frantically preparing for the coming winter. She thought of the trip down to the ocean floor, the sea teeming with life of all shapes and sizes. The fish would be eaten by a bigger fish, which would in turn be eaten by a bigger fish. This is the circle of things—everything that is born must die, and that which dies will feed the new life. 

 

New life. That’s what the Force is about. Not power, not grand spectacle. New life.

 

Unlike before, there wasn’t a conflict between the darkness and light within Rey. Instead, the two blending together yet maintaining their individuality. The Force isn’t for fighting. It isn’t for killing. The Force is for living. The old way, marred by conflict and gunfire, would not be the way to defeat the First Order. A new way would be needed. One based not on destroying the old life, but finding a way to feed the new life. 

 

War breaks life. War is antithetical to the Force.

 

“That’s why I’m on Naboo, to find this new way,” Rey thought through the Force. “It’s not for the Jedi, it’s not for Amidala, it’s not for me. It’s for all of life. A victory...for all time.”

 

“Very good, Rey,” A voice said. “You figured out what I never could.”

 

“Luke? Is that you?”

 

“Open your eyes, Rey. Breathe. Reach out.”

 

Slowly, Rey opened her eyes. What she saw shocked her.

 

“What do you see?” Luke asked.

 

“I, I,” She stammered, not sure what to say. “I see the waterfalls from before. The field. The life. This isn’t the forest? How am I here?”

 

“Because you willed it into existence, Rey. There’s something about you, and Ben. You have a power don't understand and could never have.”

 

A figure resembling Luke formed in front of Rey’s eyes and sat down in front of her. 

 

“But I think that power is going to save us all. Those who have gone, those who still are, and those who are to come.”

 

“What is this? You’re far more skilled as a Jedi than I am.”

 

“Remember what I said—the Force doesn’t belong to the Jedi or the Sith. For eons, we’ve let our biases and ideologies cloud what the Force really is about. We, the Jedi, the guardians of peace and justice forgot none of this matters if we don’t have that basic component.”

 

“Life?” Rey replied. She knew she was right before Luke responded.

 

“Yes. Life. Good living. Whole living. Right living. The galaxy…”

 

Luke looked as the waterfalls crashed in the distance. A child of the desert himself, the sight of so much water flowing so freely still brought him to awe. Nothing was more beautiful to Luke than water. 

 

“The galaxy has never been living right. We’ve always been fighting. Far before the Empire, far before the Clone Wars. Far before the Jedi and the Sith. As long as we’ve been able to grab a stick in our hands, we’ve been fighting. We’ve been tearing life apart!”

 

Luke turned around and looked back to Rey, right into her eyes.

 

“Rey, the moment I saw you in the tree on Ahch-To, I knew there was something different about you. I sensed the power within you immediately, like my nephew. But something far greater is within you, something Ben nor I never could have.”

 

“What is it?”

 

Luke hesitated to say anymore—thinking he already revealed too much.

 

“Rey, you’re on the right path. This is the plant where all your questions will be answered. But I can’t help you anymore. You’re going to have to figure it out for yourself,” He said. “But once you do that, everything will be clear to you.” 

 

“Wait!” Rey commanded with a hint of anger in her voice. “I’m lost, I don’t know where to go. This forest is endless.”

 

Fading away, Luke looked at Rey. From the moment he first saw her, she reminded him of someone he never knew—yet for his whole life had been searching for. This girl would make things right.

 

“Find the tomb of my mother,” Luke said. “Once you do that, the missing piece to the puzzle will be found.” 

 

“The tomb of Amidala…” Rey spoke, hoping she could remember it when she reawaked into the living world. “What will I find there?”

 

“The past, the present, and the future.” 

  
  


 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey discovers the truth of herself.

_ The crisis continued as the adolescent traveled with the Jedi to resolve the matter. Learning the true nature of things and continuing their journey required them to stop in a far-off planet. Arriving on this world, the adolescent and the Jedi entered a junkyard to seek what was necessary to continue their quest. While they eventually found what they wanted, they left the world with what they needed. _

 

Her eyes opening, Rey found herself back in the forest. The same spot as before, the sunlight still beating on her as before. Time had stood still while she wandered in the Force—she had a whole day to work with to find her goal. Her feeling of confusion and sense of being lost were replaced with new found purpose and direction. 

 

“Artoo, what do you know about the tomb of Padme Amidala?” Rey asked, hoping the droid would provide some information. 

 

“Booooooop...” The droid sadly answered. 

 

“You don’t know? I see,” She responded. “Could you….what I’m about to ask your isn’t necessarily the most ethical thing in the world.”

 

“Bwwaapp!” He said.

 

“Don’t care about ethics? And Skywalker trusted you for all those years?”

 

“Baaaabeeee,” He argued.

 

“Well, I suppose someone would have to be the bad cop.” 

 

Kneeling down to the droid’s level, Rey asked, “Artoo, could you patch into the planets computer network remotely? Surely the Empire couldn’t have deleted the information about her grave, right?”

 

“Beeep!” He answered, eager to do some dirty work. Hacking in, Artoo scanned through all the encrypted and secret files within the government's various repositories. It wasn’t easy work, but nothing the little droid couldn’t do. He hacked all of the Empire’s records in a few moments aboard the Death Star, so this would be a breeze in comparison. Going through at a rate that would put any of those new-fangled BB units to shame, Artoo came across a record which seemed suspicious to him. A large swath of land in the middle of an island off the coast had disappeared from the records. Completely. As in the land just didn’t exist anymore. 

 

Now, Artoo didn’t know everything. He knew most things—far more than any human and especially the golden boy—but not everything. But one thing he did know was land didn’t disappear. Even when the Death Star destroyed Alderaan, the land still existed—just in thousands of pieces. If the tomb of his old master still existed, it would be on there for his new master. Thankfully, the coastline wasn’t too far from where they had marched to originally. 

 

“Beeeeeeeooop, booop, baaaaaeeep.” He commanded, hoping she could discern those coordinates. Rey had quickly picked up his dialect—which impressed the droid. She could see why the Princess took a liking to her. 

 

“You found it? Well done, Artoo!” Rey said. “So it’s on an island? Back to the water we go, I suppose.”

 

“Boooooap,” He said, reminding her that it isn’t too far away. 

 

“Not that far, eh?” She said, looking up at the sun. “Well, judging by the distance of those shadows it looks like we’ll have enough daylight to make it to the sea before nightfall. Whether or not we reach the tomb…” 

 

She thought to Skywalker’s words from earlier—about this hidden power—and decided to risk traveling at nightfall. Night only meant the coming of a new day. Once more, Rey and the droid paced through the forest. Unlike before, they weren’t lost. Mostly. 

 

Within a short while, the two arrived at the coastline found in Artoo’s analysis. A large fog settled on the sea, obstructing anything that may be on the ocean’s surface. 

 

“In this fog, I can’t see any island or land,” Rey said. “Artoo, do you have anything that could help?”

 

“Booo….” He sadly beebed. 

 

“Hmm,” Rey thought. If this place was so important to her journey and had the answers she thought, perhaps she needed to solve this dilemma. 

 

Closing her eyes, Rey focused on the fog. She imagined what would be waiting for her beneath the fog. She pictured an ornate tomb—resembling the stunning buildings she saw in the city, yet with all of the care and love found below the ocean floor. She pictured a large statue of Amidala, honoring a woman who inspired and gave hope for all of the Naboo and all of the Gungans. She pictured a large stone door for the tomb sealed shut with an inscription on it that would clue her in on what she needed to do to end this destructive conflict. Lastly, she pictured touching this inscription and being granted with wisdom she never before had. But before all this, she needed to see the fog dissipation and her path being made clear.

 

Opening her eyes, her vision came true. The fog dissipated into the great haze surrounding the sea and she saw the tomb—as beautiful as she imaged—waiting for her in the middle of the sea. Without a moment’s hesitation, Rey dove into the sea and started swimming to the center. 

 

She never swam before—growing up in the desert will do that to a person—and her limited exposure to water on Ahch-To mostly involve survival instincts activating. Now, the call of the sea overwhelmed her. The sea would give her guidance, answers, salvation, and resolution. She just needed to dive in and let her instincts take over. The droid would be fine on the coastline—he’s dealt with more in this galaxy than any living being. This was a mission for her and her alone. 

 

Arriving on the island, Rey pushed herself onto the dry land. Her hair and clothes were sopping wet, though she had never felt more alive in her life. She was freezing, but this cold rejuvenated her. She thought of the time before she felt similar, on Ahch-To. She emerged from the cave where she saw herself and nothing more. Her body shivered out of the water, yet Ben’s presence warmed her then. Somehow, it still did. She though of how, when their hands touched, she had such hope and aspirations for the future. She thought of how she believed with all of her heart that there was still in good in him. She didn’t know whether that future could still be had—but if it could it would be on this place. 

 

Arriving at the sealed stone door, she read the inscription to herself,  _ “Padme Amidala: Queen, Senator, Daughter, Mother to the World” _

 

“Wait,” Rey said, sitting on a rock on the island. “That last bit...that looks newer than the rest.” The part on the rock where those words were carved in still felt warm, as if it had been carved recently. 

 

“You would be right, Rey,” Luke said, appearing behind her. “Carved not by chisel, but by lightsaber.”

 

“Did you do this?”

 

Luke nodded his head. 

 

“Why? To honor your mother?”

 

He looked to the ground, then to the ocean, then to the sky. Looking back at the tomb, he finally replied after what seemed like an eternity, “You could say that.”

 

“What did you know about her? Leia didn’t know much beyond the simple facts. The Empire went to extreme lengths to destroy her legacy.”

 

Rey turned to Luke, looking right into his eyes. “Luke, did you mother create the Empire? Is that what you meant earlier—aboard the Falcon?”

 

“While I was alive, I knew as little about her as my sister. In death…” He said, touching the tomb’s wall. He never knew his mother in life.  “In death I learned the truth.”

 

“The truth?” She asked.

 

“The truth is of how a woman could have so much power and influence in the galaxy, and yet never be corrupted by it—never giving into selfishness and greed. The truth of how a woman could look at a man who became as...evil, as my father and still love him with all her heart and believe he still had good in him even after knowing all the darkness he had already done. The truth of how a woman could look at a world with as much suffering and strife as the one she lived in and never let her hope be defeated.”

 

Luke sat beside Rey and looked at the droid on the shore. “My friend showed you the videos of my father, yes?”

 

“He did,” She answered. “I...I didn’t know. It’s weird to think of Darth Vader as a man, and not a machine.”

 

“Imagine how it felt for me,” Luke said. “But I saw the end. I know the truth of the goodness inside. Leia…”

 

“What?”

 

“Leia never forgave him. He did awful things to her—before he knew the truth about the children he thought died with his wife. It took her an awful long time to even hear the story from me—” 

 

Luke stopped, unsure to whether continue. He decided he must, Rey will learn these things eventually. He didn’t want to keep secrets anymore. Secrets are what got their family into this mess.

 

“She never saw the Artoo videos or anything. I thought it would be too much for her to handle. She always struggled with that part of her bloodline.”

 

“Why must I know these things?” Rey asked. “I’m...I’m not part of this.”

 

“Rey, I tell you these things because to understand my nephew...you need to understand the whole family.” 

 

“Why, so I can kill him? Luke...I can’t do that.”

 

Luke thought back to the boy he was a lifetime ago, having a similar conversations about the one he loved to his old master. He looked into the statue of his mother on the island. The resemblance to his sister was uncanny. If only she could see the kind of woman her daughter became, the kind of man he became. Immediately upon dying, Luke tried to find her in the Force—but he couldn’t. Even non-Jedi still became one with the Force upon death, just as all life does. 

 

“I know. Killing him wouldn’t solve anything. If only I knew that back then, things would be different.”

 

“I still don’t know,” Rey said, with her head falling into her hands.  “I denied it for so long, but I can’t anymore.”

 

Luke sat beside her.

 

“Say it, Rey,”

 

“I....I love him. And yet, I can never be with him.”

 

“That’s the same mistake she made,” Luke said, pointing to the tomb. “And the same of my father.”

 

“Why am I here? What’s my place in this fight? He was right, I am no one.”

 

“Rey, you have found the tomb. That alone makes you someone. You found the sin which has scarred my family to this day. There’s one thing you need to do.”

 

Skywalker moved towards the tomb and lifted the door with ease. 

 

“Rey, enter the tomb. I’ll get Artoo back to the Falcon. When you emerge from the tomb, I can guarantee you will see what you need to see.”

 

“Enter the tomb?” Rey asked. “Isn’t that...rude? Disrespectful?”

 

“A wise man once told me death is the start of something new,” Luke said. “Look at me? Has death stopped me from doing what I must?”

 

“Well….no.” 

 

Fading away for the final time, Luke left Rey with one parting lesson.

 

“Guide the future by the past…”

 

Looking into the darkness of the tomb entrance, Rey had never been more scared in her life. But she knew she must conquer this fear to become what she needed to be. 

 

Grabbing the lighter out of her pocket from earlier, Rey ignited a flame to guide her way into the tomb. Walking in, she saw it was far larger on the inside than it appeared. There were numerous passages and corridors which she could get lost down. Still, something within her told her which direction she needed to go. Eventually, she found her way to the center of the tomb. There was one final door which blocked her from the climax of her journey—one last obstacle to overcome—before all would be revealed. 

 

Unlike before, no text adorned this door. There was a spot for some sort of carving like the exterior barrier, but nothing marked. While she never knew Amidala and barely had an idea of who she was, the stories she heard inspired her to leave some mark on the tomb. No one else would ever see this marking though she couldn’t in good conscious leave it be as it was when she arrived. 

 

“I should mark something here, but…” Rey looked around to see if there was a knife or a chisel nearby. “But there’s nothing to use.”

 

Putting her hands on her hips, Rey felt the lightsaber. It didn’t work, but it was her best shot. 

 

“Maybe something about this place will give me good luck,” She said. Flicking the switch, the saber would not turn on.

 

“Ugh!” She screamed, throwing the saber at the floor. “Why can’t I get it to work. I can’t be a Jedi if I don’t even have a lightsaber!”  

 

The saber spun around on the floor until it pointed at Rey. 

 

“Meditation worked before…” Rey said, kneeling down to lose herself once more. The cold and silent confines of the tomb provided a nice atmosphere for her to focus her thoughts on the Force. 

 

Her mind in focus, Rey thought of the journey this lightsaber had undergone to end up in this place. It belonged first to Anakin, then to Luke, and now to her. It fought in all the wars yet never achieved victory or peace. It tried to fight for justice and equality in the galaxy, but ended up facing a bad end time and time again. Still, it kept on existing despite what occured to it. And for whatever reason it chose her. It came to her. Above everyone else, the lightsaber and the Force called her into action to serve some higher purpose. She—and no one else—would be able to make things right. Luke was right about her. 

 

“I know what I must do...now I see,” Rey said. Grabbing the lightsaber, she turned it on. The same beautiful blade came out as before, but now it worked perfectly. The lightsaber had been made whole. 

 

“Hmm,” Rey said looking at the blank slate. She never was great with words, but she figured this would capture the essence of who Amidala was more than any state funeral or historical records ever could. She knew what to write. 

 

_ “Padme Amidala: Giver of Life, Guardian of Hope, Protector of the Future”  _

 

“Eh, good enough,” Rey said. “Now to figure out how to open this door…” 

  
Rey turned around to look for anything obvious, such as a switch or a lever of some kind. Not finding anything, she turned back to the door to see it gone. 

 

“Uh…” She said, at this point giving up any expectation of things to make sense on this adventure. 

 

Rey entered the central chamber with her lighter in hand. Igniting a torch on the wall, she expected to see some kind of remains. Instead, it was empty. 

 

“But it couldn’t be grave robbers, these doors were sealed,” Rey questioned. “What could have done this?”

 

Looking inside the opened casket, Rey saw a small wooden necklace. It was shaped with four distinct markings on the sides with a fifth in the middle. It looked quite rustic and handmade—almost like something she would have seen in a Jakku marketplace. 

 

“What’s this?” She said, reaching at it. “Is this what Luke sent me for?”

 

The second she touched the piece, Rey found herself overcame by the Force. Momentarily, all her senses disappeared. When they returned to her and she found composer over herself, she found herself within a sea of darkness—floating toward some grand white light in the middle. Landing, she found a mirror. The mirror wrapped around the entire white platform. She could see no way in or out of this place. It reminded her of the cave on Ahch-To.

 

Where this differed from Ahch-To was in the reflections. On Ahch-To, they were all behind her—she was the ultimate end. Here, the reflections wrapped around her. No Rey came before or after another Rey. No Rey was the beginning or the end. All of them were the same. She moved one arm up, so did the others. She stepped forward, so did the others. She looked down to the ground, so did the others. Finally, she touched her hand to the mirror. 

 

That caused something to change. The room started spinning—faster and faster and faster—until it went so fast she fell to the ground. Rey couldn’t move because of the speed. Her memories and experiences flashed before her eyes on the mirror—her childhood struggles on Jakku, her liberation from the planet with Finn, her first time meeting Kylo Ren and fighting him, going to Skywalker, and meeting Ben Solo. She saw additional images too—some from her dreams and some she didn’t recognize. Eventually, the mirror became such a blur all the images blended together. 

 

“Is this dying?” She asked. She thought of all the times Skywalker mentioned death giving him new insight and powers. Maybe she needed to die so that the galaxy could live. If this was death, it felt incredibly familiar to her—like she had lived here her whole life. 

 

“No,” A chorus of female voices replied. “This is living.”

 

“Who are you?” Rey asked. “Are you…”

 

“I am who you think I am.”

 

“Where am I?”

 

“You.”

 

“W-what does that mean?”

 

“Rey, think back to childhood. Think of all the times you faced certain death, yet didn’t. I was there. The lonely nights facing danger of predators and evil on the planet, but could sleep through the night. I was there.”

 

“You’re…”

 

“Say it, Rey, you know who I am.”

 

“You’re the Force.”

 

“From a certain point of view, yes,” It said. “I could be described as the mother of all things. The creator of all life. The Maker.”

 

“Why are you here in this tomb?” Rey asked. “Amidala was no Jedi, just a person.”

 

“Just because one isn’t a Jedi or Sith, doesn’t mean they lack the Force. The Force creates and connects life.” The roomed slowed to a halt and Rey could stand up. Looking into the mirror, a reflection of her spoke back in a singular voice.  

 

“Just as you do, Rey. If one does these things, they are living right with the Force.”

 

Another reflection—this one behind Rey—started speaking. 

 

“Rey, for a thousand generations my people have failed to live this way. They act in destruction. They fail to honor the sacred truths of life—love and compassion. The galaxy will never be balanced until these things occur.”

 

Once more, another reflection—this one to the right—added their opinion. 

 

“Rey, you are chosen because of a gift. A gift you had long before you knew of the Jedi or the Sith or of Solo or Skywalker or Amidala. You have boundless compassion in your heart. You know nothing of greed. You merely want to give love in the world and receive it back. Pure selfless thought.”

 

Again, a reflection—this one to the left—started to talk.

 

“Rey, there is another out there. One last disciple of the Force. One more heir to our legacy. He posses powers and strength, but his heart was frozen in fear for so long. You know this one...don’t you?”

 

“Yes,” She said, a tear in her eye. “Ben.”

 

“Do you wish to see him? If you do, you shall. If you don’t, then you’ll leave this place and return to the way things were.”

 

Rey paused and thought. Did she really want to see Ben Solo again? Would he be the man he thought he was or the man he appeared to be? Would it bring pain to her heart?

 

“Pain...is the reminder of love,” Rey softly spoke to herself. “Yes, I will see Solo.” 

 

All of the Rey’s surrounding her merged into one—which became Solo. Only he looked different. His hair was tied in the back, he had a growing but patchy beard, his face looked weathered and worn. Yet, Rey could sense the growing light and goodness within his heart. The fear had left his soul, but guilt remained. He had found peace, but he was still looking for something. 

 

The image of Ben Solo opened its mouth and the chorus of female voices called out once more to her. “Rey, you must go to Coruscant. That is where the wounds were first made. Healing can only be found there.” 

 

The one Ben Solo separated into many, all looking at Rey. The mirror spun back up again, throwing Rey to the ground, and they all merged back into one female body looking back at Rey. The fall made Rey dizzy, though she’d recognize that face anywhere after this ordeal. It was Amidala.

 

“Rey, you possess an ability to listen. Far beyond any other Jedi,” She said. “You recognize the goodness of people. You place your faith in others, not yourself. You seek guidance. Use your gifts wisely. Do what I could not and bring peace.” Before Rey could respond, the image of Amidala transformed into a passageway opening up to a white pathway.

 

“Rey!” A voice called. “Rey!”

 

Rey ran down the pathway to where the voice came from. Looking through a passageway, she saw Ben Solo fighting the Praetorian Guards. Going further, she saw Kylo Ren kill his father, kill villagers, kill more innocents. She saw Ben Solo’s monster born—his uncle standing over him with a lightsaber. She saw Solo sent away from his parents to go to  live with Skywalker to help him with the growing anger inside of him. She saw a baby born to a woman, never prouder, and a man, never more terrified. Yet both heart’s were overwhelmed with the bonds of love. She now understood what the Force meant. 

 

“Did you find the answers you sought?” Skywalker asked. 

 

“I…” She started. “I think I did..”

 

“Good, good.” Luke said. Pointing to a white portal behind him, he told her it would take her back to the Falcon. 

 

“Luke, I have one final question...I couldn’t ask the Force.”

 

“Well, what is it?”

 

“What did you mean by ‘The Planet where the Empire was born’?” 

 

“The Emperor was born on Naboo, yes. But my mother helped install him as chancellor. She gave into fear, fear that her own people—those who she swore to protect—would be killed if she didn’t give him this power. She let fear cloud her vision, something the Jedi fell victim to as well.”

 

“But…” Rey said. “No, that doesn’t matter. The past will be the past. They gave in to their fears so that I would not.”

 

“I understand now, Luke, I understand. I know what they did wrong. I know what I will do differently. I don’t know what he will do in response, but I must find Solo.”

 

“You are right, Rey,” Luke said. “Far wiser than I ever was.”

 

Walking into the portal, ready to leave this all behind her and reach her ultimate destination—where she knew the one who she loved would be—she stopped.

 

“Thank you, Luke, for helping me on this journey.”

 

“Helping you?” He replied. “Rey, I didn’t teach you anything that you already didn’t know. You inspired me to make things right by Ben—by his parents. Now go, bring peace, and make the galaxy whole once more.”

 

Luke, for the final time, disappeared back into the Force as Rey found herself back aboard the Falcon. She finally had all the answers and guidance she sought and now knew what she needed to do—after fulfilling her promise. 

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben learns where his place really is in life.

_ Entering the store for another day, the boy started to get old enough that he became aware of the pain in his life. He learned the whole galaxy wasn’t like this—for whatever reason he and his mother were cursed to this life. He wondered why these saviors wouldn’t come out here and help them. Still, the boy held optimism for a better tomorrow. _

 

Ben awoke that moment with a sense of calm and tranquility he hadn't felt, well, ever. The dream of the past night, with all the suffering yet continued optimism, reminded him of the illogical nature of things. Still, as Ben started to learn, logic failed to explain everything in life. He woke up in a good mood, nevertheless. He felt as if some long lost wound started to heal within him.

 

Grabbing his mirror with the Force, Ben tied his hair in a bun for another day in the desert. Taking a straight-razor, Ben cut off his beard. It grew far too long for him to manage anymore and it started to make him look ugly. While there was a practical benefit, he couldn’t stand what he saw in the mirror. It wasn’t the face he wanted to see looking back at him.

 

“Maybe I’ll make my home here,” He said. “Learn to cook. Stay here in the restaurant. Maybe that’s why the Force sent me here…” 

 

He pondered back to the small being he met. His parting words rang in Solo’s head, 

 

_ “This planet of your dreams, you will find yourself. Find your future, you will. Make peace with the enemy, you will. Ren, eventually you will find” _

 

“What did he mean by, ‘find my Ren’?” Ben asked. “What is Ren?”

 

He knew, vaguely, what the other two meant. Somehow on this planet he’d find his future which would result in him making peace with his enemy. He assumed this meant the Resistance—to which Solo couldn’t care about whether they won or not. The First Order caused a great deal of suffering, which he was complicit in. The best way he could try to make things right would be to leave the galaxy. Without leadership, the First Order would crumble to pieces. Hux couldn’t seize power the way he did—no military leader was scared of him at all—and the ensuring power struggle would leave the First Order lifeless just like the Empire.

 

“Of course...the Empire came back from that,” Ben said. He had no idea where his place was in the galaxy—but he knew someone who might.

 

Cook had woke up hours ago, already hard at work preparing that day’s food with his apprentice chef. Ever since he told Ben his story of love, it was as if a new wind of life breathed into him. 

 

“Good, good,” He said. “You’re starting to get the hang of it, Nandero, perhaps one day you can take over the store!”

 

“Ah, Dravem, good morning! I see you shaved! You really weren’t growing a full beard anyway!” Cook said, with a hearty laugh. “You look better without it, anyway.”  

 

“Good morning, Cook. Could I have a word for a moment?”

 

“Of course! Here,” Cook said, pointing to a box of a traditional Mirialan spice. “Make sure you apply this liberally. The guests love it!” 

 

Walking into the office attached to the kitchen, Cook sat at his desk. 

 

“Dravem, do you see that picture on the wall?” 

 

Ben looked at the dusty picture. Cook stood next to his wife in front of the restaurant—seemingly a lifetime ago—as a few Mirialan sat inside. Another Mirialan man, far older than the two, stood next to them.

 

“That’s my dad, he lived with us here for a while. He died a couple years after we moved to the planet, he never could quite adjust to life without mom…his heart gave up.”

 

“I see, I’m sorry for your loss,” Ben answered. 

 

“Thank you, but I’m fine. He gave me all these recipes. Some were old family secrets, others he picked up on his travels serving on a variety of freighters and cargo ships over the years. I’m thinking...well I never had kids of my own. I’m thinking I’m gonna turn the restaurant over to Nandero one of these days. He’s a far better chef than I am, even if he’s a human!”

 

Ben sat back in his chair, unsure of where his boss meant by telling him this story.

 

“Ah, I’m sorry Dravem, I forgot the point! This old mind of mind…”

 

“It’s fine, I can always hear your stories.” Ben thought of all the great tales and adventures he’d hear about from his own father. As a boy, he dreamed of one day accompanying his father on these journeys. 

 

“Well, I got to thinking...kid, you never mentioned your dad before. Your mom was a Senator, I remember that. But you never mentioned your dad. I’m sure he’s proud of the great man he raised.”

 

“Yeah...well,” Ben gulped as he spoke. He had been lying to everyone on this planet about his identity for the longest time, but lying to Cook hurt the most of all. This man showed but compassion and acceptance of him. He gave him a home and a purpose. He kept him safe from the First Order. 

 

“I, uh, my dad…”

 

“Dravem, I got to be honest with you for a moment. I don’t have the time left for lying! I’m no Jedi, but sleep next to one for 50 years and you’ll pick up a thing or two. There’s something about you that reminds me of her…”

 

“That’s what I wanted to talk about. Soon, I’m going to be leaving Tatooine. But….”

 

Cook, despite knowing all along one day he’d hear those words, hated to hear that. He came to view Ben as a good worker and an even better man.

 

“I haven’t been truthful about my identity,” Ben said. He took the out his hair tie and let his hair fall down to his shoulders—it had gained in length since leaving the First Order. 

 

“My real name is…Ben”

 

“Solo,” Cook said. “I’d recognize your father’s face anywhere. The moment you walked in my door, all those months ago, something went off in this head. Here…”

 

Cook started digging around in his desk.

 

“You know how much I love pictures, I know I have it somewhere….ah here it is!”

 

Cook pulled out a picture—the edges were curved and the color had faded, but the faces could still be seen. 

 

“That’s your dad, his Wookie friend, and me. He just came to Tatooine to work for Jabba. Damned fool, I told him he was bad news! Ah, but he never listened to me! Said smuggling was the only job for him. He was a good man, though. Real good man. How’s he doing?”

 

“Well,” Ben started to grow pale. “I….I became Kylo Ren.”

 

A look of fright came upon Cook’s face. “Of the First Order? That Kylo Ren? The one they’ve been searching the galaxy for the last months for?”

 

“Yeah, I did horrible things to many people. I killed, ravaged, slaughtered, mamed, tortured, destroyed. I became...I am a bad person. I am not who you think I was. I...I killed my father too.”

 

“Oh, oh, oh, you’re lying to me. I know you’re lying to me.”

 

“No, I’m honest. I’m through lying to protect myself. I did all these horrible things.”

 

“Oh, no kid. That part’s true,” Cook said, leaning forward in his chair. Placing his hand on Ben’s shoulder, he answered, “But the part of you being a bad person ain’t true at all.”

 

“Kid, we’ve all done bad stuff in our lives. Yours….probably on the worse end then most all things considered. But we aren’t chained down by what we’ve done. We can move on. Our future ain’t written in stone.”

 

Putting his other hand on Ben’s other shoulder, he continued.

 

“Think of your dad. One time, his used to be a criminal. Did some really shady stuff, too! But he grew beyond that. He found his life…”

 

Cook looked right into Ben’s eyes and kept going,

 

“In the princess. He became a better person. A war hero! I knew he was a good man, just as I know you are. Now...are you going to be the Kylo Ren who keeps running from his problems or the Solo who faces them down?”

 

Ben thought for a moment. He couldn’t stay on the planet. His life wasn't here. He needed to make things right with Rey. She stole his heart and he needed to win it back. 

 

“I…” 

 

“Come on, kid, answer me! Breakfast is almost ready!”

 

“I’ll be the Solo, I’ll be Ben Solo.”

 

Cook wrapped his hands around Ben and pulled him in for a hug.

 

“Kid, you’re gonna do great things in life. The past is the past. All that matters is what’s over that horizon.”

 

After a few moments, Cook let go. Before Ben could stand up, he asked another question.

 

“I got to ask, since this may be the last time I see you. What made Kylo Ren leave the First Order?”

 

“Well, I, it’s a long story…” Ben answered, not wanting to go into the details.

 

“Ah, there’s no story long enough for me! It’s a girl, isn’t it. That twinkle in your eyes gives it away. There’s something bigger you’re looking for and it can’t be found here.”

 

“Yeah,” Ben sat back in his chair. “It’s a girl.”

 

“Well, who is she?”

 

“She grew up in a desert, just like this. I can’t believe something so harsh could create something so beautiful, strong, and wise.”

 

“Live long enough in the desert and you’ll find she holds many secrets.” Cook reached for his cane and started walking towards the kitchen with Ben following. 

 

“Thank you, Cook, for everything. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend on this planet.”

 

“The same to you, Ben,” Cook said. The name Ben reminded him of another guest from a time long before. “When you find your girl, come back by here. I’d like to meet her and tell her what a good guy you are.”    
  
“I’ll do that, of course I will,” Ben said.

 

“Here, wait,” Cook said before Ben left. “I need to give you something. I have no need for it anymore and I think it’ll serve you well on your quest. Come with me to my apartment.”

 

Walking into the back of the building, Cook went straight to the closet by the entrance. 

 

“I have a secret compartment for valuables,” He said. “I never wanted the Empire finding some of this stuff! Well, now that my time grows short I should start figuring out what I want to do with this junk!”

 

“Junk? Or treasures of a well-lived life?”

 

“No, it’s mostly junk. Old booze, some valuable jewels. Never wanted to pay too much in taxes to Palpatine, haha!” Cook kept digging around in the back. “Ah, there it is!” He flicked a switch and a portion of the wall behind Ben opened up.

 

“The treasures… are kept in there,” Cook answered. “Walk in, turn to the right. Third shelf down, you’ll find what I’m giving to you.”

 

Ben followed his friend’s orders and saw a shocking sight. A lightsaber. A real lightsaber. It had been perfectly preserved and cleaned after all these years. It looked far older and more intricate than any he had ever seen before—especially his old one.

 

“I...I can’t take this,” Ben said. “This belonged to your wife. You should keep it.”

 

“I’ve kept it for all these years. I can’t use the darn thing, anyway! The memories...well they’ll always be in my heart. She’d want it to serve use beyond her. Especially to a Jedi as good as you.”

 

“I’m no…” Ben started but stopped. “Thank you, Cook, I’m truly honored.”

 

Cook walked over to the room—filled with all sorts of pictures and artifacts from his wife’s time as a Jedi. “It’s been an honor meeting you, Ben. I’m glad her saber will live on again in the hands of another.”

 

Ben turned away from Cook and flicked the switch. With the speed of light, a full green blad came out of the saber. 

 

“Just as I remember it,” Cook said. “Green. The color of life. A beautiful color.”

 

“I don’t know what to say, Cook,” Ben said. “This is...do you really trust me with it? What if I, what if I do evil things with it again? Like before?”

 

“Kid, that ain’t gonna happen. I can see it in your eyes, remember? You’ve accepted the greatest power of all. You fought it and fought it and fought it for so long, but now you’ve relented. You gave up and gave in to the power of love. There’s nothing greater than that in the whole galaxy. Your father learned that lesson and now so do you.”

 

“Can I ask one more question, Cook?”

 

“Sure, but then I need to get back to the kitchen!”

 

“Where...where do I go from here. I need to find her, I need to see her. But I don’t know where in the galaxy she is. I don’t know where I’m to go. I don’t know what I’m to do.”

 

“Ah, well…” He thought for a moment, scratching his scalp. “She always went deep into the desert whenever we had a problem. She said it was rich in the Force. Helped her think. Maybe do that?”

 

“That’s a great idea, thank you,” Ben answered. “I’m going to leave now. I’m so grateful for everything. I will return one day, with Rey, to see you.”

 

“And what a happy day that will be!” Cook walked back to the kitchen to get back to his work. “Ha, Han Solo. A family man...I’d never imagine!”

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben's travels take him to the brink.

_ The boy sat at the shop, doing his daily tasks. He dreamed of saving his people and getting off this planet. He dreamed of one day seeing everything in the galaxy and helping out all the suffering people elsewhere, too. The day felt different, though. He didn’t know how different it would be until the angel fell from heaven into the store… _

 

“Gah!” Ben said, waking in a fright. He had spent the previous week camping in the desert—living off of whatever he could scavenge. He grew closer to the Force, yet still felt impossibly far from where he needed to be. 

 

Last night’s dream gave him a fright. He felt the pain within the boy, yet how he focused on the suffering of others. His dreams, his aspirations, would be those that would never be met yet he still clung to them. He wanted nothing more than to reach ultimate power and use it to benefit others.

 

“And what did I do,” Ben said, stepping out of his tent. “I had ultimate power and I used it to try to seek revenge. I made things worse. What would the boy think of me?” He collapsed the tent and put it back on his belt. 

 

Using the gift of the light given by the now rising suns, Ben took stock again of his surrounding. He had gone deep into the Wastes—an area so desolate and harsh that few souls every ventured this far. Sand people wouldn’t even venture out this far due to how rough the environment is out here. The temperature is brutal during the day and even worse at night. There’s no natural protection from the sandstorms which rage constantly. Water is as scarce as anywhere in the galaxy.

 

And Ben wanted every minute of it.

 

He wasn’t lost, but directionless. Heeding the advice of his old boss and friend, Ben went deep into the desert to try to reconnect to the side of himself that he lost in darkness. Somehow, he had a feeling he’d find answers in the desert. 

 

“I come from the desert,” Ben said. “My family. My grandfather. It will give me the answers I seek We’re a desert people.” 

 

His thoughts went to another, he thought of Rey. She, much like Anakin, grew up in the desert. She toiled away in conditions similar to this, trying to carve out basic sustenance in the face of perilous danger and threats—storms, raiders, pirates, and ruffians.  Somehow, in the face of all this, she emerged a being with far more compassion and understanding than any other in the galaxy. She stood up to Snoke—something he never did—and risked her life for the chance of saving his. 

 

“And I failed her,” Ben said, looking to the mountains in the distance with their insurmountable heights. “But...my path is not written in stone. I can still make things right. Somehow. I have to.”

Ben begun the treacherous march to the one source of water in this desert, an oasis several miles away. The trek exhausted and debilitated him, but the pain helped him grow spiritually. He had nothing with him but the robes he came to the planet wearing and the lightsaber given to him by Cook. 

 

Resting for a few moments under one of the cliff-sides of the mountain, Ben took the lightsaber out from his belt to inspect it.

 

“This is remarkable craftsmanship,” Ben said. “These old lightsabers. It’s a lost artform, one that can never be recovered.” 

 

He stared at the love and care that went into this lightsaber. His lightsaber—the one he destroyed—was crudely put together and modified to serve its need. Even Luke’s saber wasn’t anything special compared to this beautiful piece. The ornate artistry showed that a lightsaber could be as much a curio as a weapon. 

 

Sitting in the shade of the cliff, the early stages of dehydration began to set in. Ben needed to get to water fast or his condition would get worse as the day progressed. While a Jedi could sustain themselves longer than a normal human, they still suffered the same physiological requirements as any person. Still, the oppressive heat kept beating at him and he needed a moment or two longer in the shade. Resting his eyes for a little bit, he saw an image. It was blurred, though it grew more clear. 

 

“Yes,” He said. “It’s her, Rey!” 

 

Though, there was no reply. She focused something else. She camped out in a forest—with only a droid keeping her company. 

 

It was a lightsaber. The lightsaber he broke. She had put it back together but it wouldn’t work for her. She tried to use all of her might and mind to fix it, but couldn’t. 

 

“Rey!” He cried out, yet she couldn't hear him. “Rey!” 

 

The sound of his voice reverberated off of the mountainside, enveloping the whole desert in his desire. But still, there was nothing. Eventually, the image faded away and he started marching again.

 

“I don’t understand,” Ben said. “Before she could hear me. We could talk. I could feel what she did...the water...water…” His thirst started to overpower him. His walk became a hobble which turned into a crawl. The sand scuffed up his nails and got in-between his fingers. He stopped sweating as his skin began to grow blanched and clammy. Supporting the weight of his head became too much for him and he collapsed into the sand. Vultures flying overhead thought they would soon be in for a treat. 

 

Right as he faded into nothingness, he was reawoken. A splash of water soothed his face and hydrated his body.

 

“Are you ok, sir?” A boy asked. “You were out for quite a while.”

 

“Yeah…” Ben said, leaning up. “Yeah, I think I am now. My name’s Ben, by the way.”

 

“Hello, Ben!” The boy answered. 

 

“I must’ve gone too hard in the heat. Thank you, whoever you are.”

 

“That’s ok, I passed through and saw someone lying in the sand. You’re not from around here, are you? You have one of those laser swords of the Jedi. A Jedi hasn’t been here in a long time.” 

 

“No, I’m not…” Ben started, still trying to regain his senses.

 

“The heat may dull your senses for a while, can you hear me ok?” 

 

“Yes, yes I can. Where are we?”

 

“We’re by the oasis. You were very close to it when I found you. I was getting water for my…”

 

“Your?”

 

“Master.”

 

“Are you a slave?”

 

“No, I’m a person.”

 

Ben felt bad for the child. The Republic. The Empire. The New Republic. The First Order. All failed to properly stop the propagation of slavery throughout the galaxy.

 

“I’m sorry, where are you from?”

 

“The city, I live there with my mother. We work in one of the yards. One day...I’m gonna get enough money and get off this rock with her and we’ll go back home.”

 

Ben leaned up and sat with his feet in the small pond. The water helped the blisters on his soles. “So, you aren’t from Tatooine originally?”

 

“No, at least I don’t think so. My mom always says we’re from somewhere else but were taking here. Though this is the only planet I’ve ever known. Hey wait…” The boy asked, with a confused look on his face. “You said you aren’t from around here. Where are you from? Have you been in the stars? On one of the spaceships?”

 

“Yeah,” Ben answered. “You could say that. I’ve been on a spaceship lots of times. Sort of a second home.”

 

“Woah…” The boy said, awestruck. “That’s cool. Are they as fancy as they look on the outside? I see them sometimes fly into the city. One time this really nice one flew in. It had this beautiful chrome finish on the outside. It was so shiny it reflected the suns!”

 

“Um…” The boy nervously started. “Do you have a spaceship?”

 

“Actually, no, I don’t. Not of my own,” Ben answered. “I, uh, have flown other people’s ships a lot but never one of my own.”

 

“Oh...well then how did you get here? Someone else’s ship?”

 

“It’s, uh…” Ben didn’t know how to tell the child that he teleported the planet through some sort of weird Force area that even he didn’t understand. But he didn’t want to lie to the child. “A long story. I don’t even understand it myself, to be honest. One moment I was on Lothal, the next I’m on Tatooine.”

 

“Lothal? What’s a Lothal?”

 

“It’s another planet. It’s nothing like Tatooine. There’s trees and grass and fields. There’s a lot of farms.”

 

“We have farms here! People dig moisture out of the air and the ground and sell it in the market. Sometimes my master sends me to go get moisture reserves for our yard.”

 

“Oh, I know moisture farming!” Ben answered with excitement. The child seemed to respond favorably to that. “My uncle, he’s from Tatooine, he used to be a moisture farmer.”

 

“Does he still live on Tatooine? Maybe I know him?”

 

“No, he hasn’t lived here for a while…” Ben answered. “His name is Luke Skywalker.”

 

“Skywalker?” The boy asked. “That’s a funny name. Well...I should probably get going. Here, take this canteen. It’ll help you on your journey. Where are you headed?”

 

“I’m not quite sure yet,” Ben said, grabbing the canteen. “Thank you for all the help, young man. What’s your name?”

 

“Oh, I,” He answered. “I need to get going now.”

 

“Wait!” Ben said, walking back towards the boy. “I should repay you for all you’ve done.” He reached for the lightsaber on his belt and handed it to the boy. “Here, take this. It’s worth a lot of money. If you sell it, you’ll get enough money for you and your mother to leave this planet.”

 

“Oh, no,” The boy answered. “I don’t need repayment. Just help people if they are in need. That’s what my mom always taught me. And now I teach it to you! Goodbye, Ben!”

 

The boy and Ben went in separate directions—one back to the town and one deeper into the desert. 

 

“Help people…” Ben thought. “Maybe that’s why I was supposed to come here. But who needs help?” 

 

He kept walking deeper into the desert, full canteen attached on his belt besides his lightsaber. Once more, he stopped for a while to have a few sips—being sure to pace himself so he had enough for his journey. He wondered how Rey managed water on Jakku. In his history lessons, he knew that Jakku was the sight of the final, decisive victory for the Rebellion and it left the planet scattered with relics of the war. He also knew that Jakku wasn’t always a desert. At one point, it used to be lush with life. 

 

“What caused it to turn from life to death?” Ben pondered. “Did it still have water? Or is it like Tatooine?”  Ben thought more on this subject—of Rey’s childhood on Jakku. 

 

“Did she think the desert was all she’d ever be?” He asked. “That her life would be nothing more than a scavenger of the wastes  of a long-done war?”

 

Nothing. That word stuck with him. He called her nothing and he knew the pain that caused her. Was it the truth? Perhaps. Perhaps he’s no more than nothing too. Maybe they could be something together. He figured one day he’d be able to ask all these questions to Rey. He hoped it, at least. He wanted to learn so much about her. But first, he needed to find her and beg for forgiveness. 

 

“One day….one day…”  He said, looking up at the stars ahead. Night fell quickly in the desert as the suns started to set. He wondered where Rey was in the galaxy—could she see the same stars that he did? “One day I’ll make things right.” He tried to focus his heart and feelings in the Force to see if he could sense her again, but there was nothing. 

 

“Well…” Ben said. “The suns are setting again, I should find a place to camp.”

 

Looking around, Ben spotted the perfect spot to set up camp for another night. Once he got his tent stable and a fire started, Ben figured he’d meditate on the days events—particularly the encounter with the boy—and see what insights he could gain. Walking towards the spot, he saw an old man sitting in the sand off in the distance.

 

Ben didn’t know what to do. He never was one to talk to strangers, but the boy’s words rang in his ears. Was the man one of the “crazed few” who lived in the Wastes? Or perhaps a voyager like him in actual danger? 

 

“A Jedi…” Ben said, “Must be aware of the need in front of their nose.” Camp could wait, he decided, as he walked towards the old man.

 

“Hello!” Ben called out. “Hello!”

 

“Huh, what?” The man said. “Who is it?” 

 

“Are you ok?” Ben asked, kneeling to be at eye level with the man. Getting this close, Ben could see the scars and damage to the man’s face. His face was pale and lifeless, burned and scarred. Was he near death? Whoever he was, he lived a rough life. Perhaps, at his age, he was a veteran of the Civil War. Or maybe his world was attacked by the Empire. Or worse—the First Order. 

 

“Do you need help?” Ben asked.

 

“Oh...you aren’t with them…” He slowly spoke. He seemed to be in extreme pain with some delirium. “Yes, I need...water. I’m so thirsty, I haven’t had anything to drink in days. I started running and running and running and I got lost. I don’t know this part of the desert. I’ve lived here my whole life and there’s still parts of this planet I don’t know.”

 

Ben reached for the canteen on his belt. It was significantly lighter than when he left the oasis and he didn’t know how soon it would be until he found water again, but he knew where the need was. Ben was young, the man old. Ben was healthy, the man not. 

 

“Here, take this,” Ben said, pouring water into his mouth. “It’s not much but it’s all I have.”

 

“Oh, thank you, thank you sir. Oh….” The man said. “It feels great, young man. But my legs, I don’t know if I can walk. But they’ll find me and I’ll be taken back eventually. It won’t be pretty but I deserve it.”

 

“No, no, things will work out,” Ben said. “I’ve been running, too. But things worked out for me and they’ll work out for you.”

 

“How can you say that? What do you know about them?”

 

“I don’t know about them. But I do know about my them,” Ben answered. “And I know that whatever problems you are facing are nothing you can’t beat. Someone taught me this and now I teach it to you.”

 

“Hmmm...I see,” The man answered. “But what if it hurts? Isn’t it easier to just stay here in the desert where I can’t get hurt?”

 

“Pain,” Ben said, thinking back to his earliest lessons with his uncle. “Is the reminder of love. And love is life. To hurt is to live.”

 

Ben pulled the man closer to him and spoke. “Do you see this scar on my face? It hurts everyday. Yet this pain reminds me of the man I need to be and not the man I was.”

 

“But how can I heal?” He said. “I’m an old man. I don’t have any purpose in this life anymore. I’ve ruined it all. Would it not be better to just stay out here where I can’t make things worse?”

 

Thinking of his encounter in the Force, Ben relayed one final lesson to the man. “A wise man once told me, ‘Always in motion the future is’, you may make things worse or you may make things better. But you’ll never know if you just stay here sitting in the dirt.” 

 

Ben thought for a while. He possessed a gift that this man didn’t. His words may not be able to get the man to see the truth, but perhaps his feelings were.

 

Ben took his gloves off and placed his hands on the mand—his right on the man’s heart and his left on the legs. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the man’s body, seeking to both heal the wounds afflicting him while also giving him a parcel of what Ben’s learned throughout his quest.

 

Using the healing arts of the Force was more common centuries ago. As technology grew more reliable and cheaper, people turned to the droids to heal rather than the Jedi. Still, there was nothing more righteous in the Force than using the power to heal. Ben wasn’t trained in these arts, but he needed to do something to help the man. 

 

“Close your eyes,” Ben said. “Focus your mind on your feelings. Where does it hurt?”

 

“My legs, I can barely walk.” The man answered.

 

“No, no!” Ben said, opening his eyes. “That’s not where you really hurt.”

 

“What? No, my legs! I can’t walk. They hurt so deeply.”

 

“That’s not the source of your pain, my friend. Why do your legs hurt?”

 

“Because...because of them. I became something I wasn’t and got hurt in the process.”

 

“And why did you do this? I, too, strayed from the light. I, too, became something I was not.”

 

“Because….because….” Color and life started to return to the man’s face. “Because I lost sight of what really mattered in life. I thought in my power I could control everything...control her.”

 

“And in tightening your grip, she slid out of your hands?”

 

“Yes,”He answered. “I lost her. In my fear of losing her, I frightened her. Terrified her! I lost her!” 

 

“I know that feeling all too well,” Ben said. “That’s why I hurt. Is that why you hurt?”

 

“Yes, yes, yes. Yes!” The man’s cries turned into screams—echoing throughout the desert. Tears streamed down his face. Each tear rolled over a scar and caused it to fade away. “That’s why I hurt!” The man stood perfectly straight with no sign of pain in him. 

 

Still sitting cross-legged on the ground, Ben signaled for the man to sit back down. “And what can you do to make things right?”

 

“I….” He said. “I don’t know. Will she ever forgive me? Could she? Am I deserving of this grace?”

 

“Do you think you are?”

 

“Who really could answer that question?” He asked Ben. “One with more clairvoyance than any man. Not me”

 

“You know what I think?” Ben retorted. When he looked into the man’s soul, he was reminded of his own. He saw fear, loss, pain, regret, suffering—these things fueled his anger and hate. He was not a greedy man. He was not a selfish man, but a hurting one. His pain had been acknowledged, now it must be expunged. “I think your heart is still good. As long as you don’t lose your heart, can you really be gone?” 

 

Ben thought of his mother. She still thought he was the evil Kylo Ren. He thought she had died at his hand for the longest time, but shedding that persona resulted in him regaining a connection with his family. He sensed his mother still alive in the Force. Would she ever be able to forgive him? For dad? 

 

“I sure hope not…” Ben said, answering his question. “For your sake and for mine.” 

 

Ben grabbed his canteen from the dirt, feeling a little water still in it. “Here, this will feel good on your face. It’ll wash the sand off.” Ben opened the container over the man’s head. 

 

The sight shocked Ben. “What?” He asked. The water flowing off his head caused his hair to grow. He looked beautiful. The light radiating off of his skin turned the night into day. The man, now fully healed, looked remarkably similar to Solo. It was as if he saw his reflection. It was the man he wanted to see. 

 

“Son of Solo, grandson of Skywalker,” The man said. “Thank you for helping me in my time of need. Now, I must return to Coruscant to make things right with my love. Do you wish to join me?”

 

Ben knew now where the Falcon was going. It wasn’t fighting some battle. It was going to Coruscant. Rey—somehow—knew he would be there. She didn’t give up on him. He had a responsibility to go to her, to try and seek forgiveness. It was his last chance. His only chance. But a chance. He failed Rey once before, but he would not fail her again.

 

“Yes, yes,” Ben answered. “I will go to Coruscant with you.”

 

“Then we shall,” The man stood close to Ben and wrapped his body around his. At once, the man’s body disappeared into Ben’s and he teleported off this rock towards his future. 

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey fulfills a promise before her final quest.

 

_ Many years had passed, the adolescent and the child were now both adults. They were together on the home by the sea—forever to be joined as one. Yet, a cloud of impending tragedy hung over them. The shared vision shifted to a near future, of new life and new death. The two were made separate, yet they lived forever within the soul of the other. One day, they would be reunited... _

 

For the first time in a long time, Rey slept peacefully. Her dreams brought her no discomfort, trepidation, or fear—but hope. She saw the two characters, who she now knew to be Amidala and Skywalker, united in love. Even their separation, she thought, would only be separation. Nothing, not even death, could destroy their bonds of love.

 

Rey got out of bed and looked in the mirror. In her eyes, she saw a soul without doubt anymore but one with confidence. She saw a being full of love instead of fear. She felt ready to finally confront Ben. In her heart, she knew her first instincts were right about the man—there was good in him. But before she could meet him, she had to fulfill her promise to Leia and return to her after Naboo.

 

Arriving at the Industrial Workers of the Galaxy fleet, currently loading supplies for settlements onto some abandoned planets, Rey patched into the cruiser which stationed the General.

 

“IWG  command,” Rey signaled. “This is Captain Rey of the Resistance. I am requesting to dock aboard the Haywood. Do I have clearance?”

 

“Yes, Captain,” The radio operator replied. “You may dock. We’ll alert your comrades to meet you at the docking bay.”

 

Getting up from the pilot seat, she got ready to reconvene with her family. Feeling like she was forgetting something, she went back into her quarters. The lightsaber was on her belt, her clothes were all on, her codes and keys were all with her. Patting around, she felt what she missed—her arm band. If she went out like this, her scar would be bare for the world to see. Opening a drawer, she grabbed a leather band to tie around it.

 

“You know what,” Rey said. “Let them see it. It’s a part of me as much as anything.”

 

“Chewie! Threepio! Artoo!” She yelled, unsure of where everyone was throughout the ship. “We’re back with the Resistance, would you care to join me?”

 

“Oh, good heavens, yes Master Rey,” The golden one said. “All this spaceflight is dreadful. The General must hear about all I’ve done.”

 

“Aaaaaargh,” Chewie answered.

 

“Oh, you’ll be back soon enough,” She replied. “I bet Leia is excited to see you again!”

 

“Errrrr aaaaar,” He conceded, grabbing his things and heading to the airlock. 

 

“Boooooowwwwwwwaa,” Artoo beeped to Rey—quiet enough so Threepio couldn’t hear him.

 

“About Skywalker?” She answered. “Hmm, tell her. But only after I speak to her. I need to tell her something very important.” 

 

Rey lead her crew out the airlock, when she a flood of greetings and well-wishes came upon her.

 

“Rey!” Finn said, bringing her into a hug. Finn always valued human interaction—especially touch. The First Order rejected the humanity of all, especially the troopers. “How was your mission? Naboo? I didn’t know people still lived there.”

 

“Oh, yes,” She answered. “Quite a few! Even some...who live off-the-grid.”

 

“Off-the-grid? What?” Finn answered. “Are they like, conspiracy people?”

 

“From a certain point of view, yes,” 

 

Released from Finn’s large and jovial hug, an unfamiliar hand grabbed Rey’s.

 

“Captain,” Dameron said. “Glad to see you back in one piece.” He peaked out a window to look at the Falcon. “And it appears the ship made it out too!”

 

“Yes,” She answered. “That hunk of junk still has a trick or two left, or at least I hope,”

 

“Well I’d hope it does!” Rose said. “There aren’t too many YT-1300 light freighters left in the galaxy. That thing belongs in a museum!”

 

“Rose!” Rey said, running over to her. “How’ve you been aboard this ship? It’s as old as you said it was!”

 

“But there’s a beauty in old things,” Rose answered. 

 

“Thanks for the compliment, Rose,” The General answered. Dameron and Finn stood at attention, though Rose and Rey knew this was a personal visit more than anything else. Chewie ran up to her old friend for a big hug. 

 

“At ease, men,” Leia commanded. “Rey, it’s good to see you again. It’s been a while.”

 

“How have things been with the Resistance? Any attacks?”

 

“It’s odd,” Organa answered. “There’s been no attacks since you left.”

 

“And no sightings either,” Finn said. “Not even a TIE or scouting vessel in this corner of the galaxy.”

 

“I have my best spy, Kazuda Xiono,” Dameron said. “Looking everywhere in the galaxy for them with his crew. Nothing. Not one single First Order ship outside of their well-defended territory. They’ve even receded from some of the contested zones.”

 

“I see,” Rey wondered if these events were related to her feelings of Ben and his disappearance. Did the Resistance know that the Supreme Leader left the First Order? “What else has happened? Has anyone else joined our cause?”

 

“A few have,” Leia answered. “This union, for one. A couple of mostly independent worlds have given us quarter and supplies. A fleet of space pirates lead by Synara San have given us their troops and arms. They’ve been fighting in the contested zones for us while we regroup. Rose helped improve their ships.”

 

“Oh, you’re too kind,” Rose blushed while answering. “I mostly just gave them some of our older guns left. A few donations too. Overclocked their drive cores. Gave them stealth beacons. Retooled shield generators. You know, the basics!”

 

Rey thought how lucky the Resistance is to have Rose on their side. “Sometime I may need you to look at the Falcon, Rose,” Rey said. “I’m glad to see you all here ready and waiting for me, but I need to speak with the General alone for a moment aboard the ship if that could be arranged.”

 

“Of course, Captain,” Dameron said. “I’ll return to the bridge to consult with Commander Carter of the IWG for our next course.” 

 

“Yes, and I’ll go back to the crew quarters,” Finn said. “They are a talented bunch, but they need a lesson or two in hygiene. Have you seen the showers here? I’ll need a talented mechanic to fix them up...”

 

“And that would be me!” Rose answered. “Goodbye, Rey, see you soon!”

 

“Goodbye, all!” Rey answered. “Threepio, go with Lt. General Dameron in case he needs help communicating. Artoo, go with Threepio in case he gets in trouble.”

 

“Beeeeep!” He answered, eager to clean up his friend’s messes.

 

No matter how many times Leia sat aboard this ship, the memories flowed into her head with such vividness. She could remember all the times on this old rustbucket. The fights, the screaming, the bickering, yes. But the good times too. She could remember the embraces, the warm feelings, and of course the fun. 

 

Going to the table to rest her weary bones, Leia started a conversation she had a feeling would be awkward. 

 

“Well, Rey,” Leia said. “You went to Naboo, what did you learn?”

 

“I learned…” Rey started. “A lot.” Her legs starting to shake from nerves, Rey joined the General at the table. “And I don’t know where to start.”

 

“Hmm,” Leia started, looking into Rey’s eyes. “What did you learn about Padme, my birth mother?” 

 

“I learned her background and history.”

 

“Well, I could’ve told you that. So could a great many New Republic holos. What more did you learn?”

 

“I learned…” She said. “I learned what happened. What lead to your father falling to the Dark Side. It wasn’t out of hate, it was out of love. He let fear overrun him. He….”

 

“He gave up hope,” Leia said, finishing Rey’s sentence. “And thought he had to take it into his own hands to fix a problem he feared would happen.”

 

“Did you know this too?”

 

“No, no,” She answered, taking a deep sigh. “It’s what I did to Ben. I sent him off to Luke, fearing the darkness within him. I should’ve never sent him away...that’s when we lost him.”

 

“But he can be found,” Rey said, grabbing Leia’s hands. “And I’ve found him. I’ve seen…”

 

“You’ve seen him?” Leia interrupted.   
  
“Well, not personally. But I’ve seen him through the Force. I know bits and pieces of what he’s done. I know where he’s been and where he is going. Leia, he left the First Order. He’s not Kylo Ren anymore. That’s why the First Order’s fleet is acting so strange. They don’t have a leader.”

 

“He’s…” Leia said, leaning back in her chair and looking up at the sky. A tear started rolling down her face. “Not Kylo Ren anymore.” Tilting her head back down to look at Rey, she continued. “Rey, I don’t know how you know this. The Force...that was always Luke’s area. But I know I love my son. I know Han loved him. And…”

 

Rey braced herself for what she was going to say.

 

“And I know you love him.” Leia took her hand out of Rey’s and touched the scar—she thought it looked like two hands touching. “And that the feelings are mutual.”

 

Heart racing, Rey knew what she had to say. “Yes, I know. I think…” Her nerves were catching up to her. Funny how she could easily face him as an enemy or as a war asset, but the moment it became something greater the anxiety grew.

 

“If you go to him, he will return?” Leia asked. This wasn’t a guided question, it was genuine. Leia didn’t know what the future held for her son—but she knew if Rey was apart of it, things would work out for him. That’s all Leia ever wanted in the remaining years of her life. So much loss, but one seed of the future. 

 

“I,” She said. “I know so. I thought that before, I told Luke as much. But this time I know it. There is no conflict within him, anymore.”

 

“Well, Rey,” She said, feeling the table. “Go to him. Wherever he is. For however long it takes. There’s nothing more important to our cause than maintaining our values and humanity. The greatest gift we have is the ability to love. We forget that, from time to time, but we always remember it in the end.” 

 

She thought back to her tastes of love: her parents, her brother, her childhood friends (and more) in the Apprentice Legislature, her son, and Han. Passing on these lessons to the next generation was the most important cause of any master—Jedi or military. Maybe she failed with her son, maybe she didn’t. But with Rey, she knew she had no other choice but to succeed. 

 

Though, Leia knew the importance of the love of self. Not unrestricted selfishness, but confidence and contentment with who one was. Many times in her life, Leia sacrificed herself for the causes of others and for others benefit. From time to time, she pushed herself beyond her limits. While this built her legacy throughout the galaxy—turning her into a hero—she occasionally felt resentment at the life she didn’t have. She never did get to travel with The Scoundrel as much as she wanted.

 

“But Rey,” She said, grabbing Rey’s hands again. “It’s important to not lose yourself in the quest of others. We must keep in mind we are valid. That we are important. That we can be loved. We cannot love others unless we can love ourselves.”

 

“I,” Rey had a loss for words. “What does that mean?”

 

“I’m not sure myself,” She answered. “But many times we—we try to find ourselves in other people, in their causes. We put people on a pedestal and it hurts us when things happen to weaken their image.” Leia didn’t know exactly how to express this point, but she knew an example that could help. 

 

“Rey, do you know why Han and I worked? Even despite all our differences and arguing?”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because we knew that we were just humans, nothing more,” Leia thought back to the first time she met Han. Aboard the Death Star, facing peril and danger unmatched before in her life, Han was the first person to not act differently around her. Throughout her childhood, Leia had a fear all her friends only talked to her because of the crown. She heard the difference in people’s voices when they talked to her—the words they used, their inflection, their manner of speech. But Han? He treated her like he treated any person. 

 

“So what you are saying is I shouldn’t try to carry him?”

 

“Exactly!” Maybe Leia was better at this whole parenting thing than she gave herself credit for. “Rey, if you lose yourself in the other person only pain can come. Maintain your sense of self and your own identity, things will work out.”

 

This information—more than anything else—started to burden Rey. Solving the great mysteries of the Force was easy for her. But love?

 

Leia saw the confusion on Rey’s face. Perhaps she needed to shift the conversation in another direction. “By the way, you never gave me your mission report from Naboo. You are still in the Resistance!”

 

“Oh yes,” Rey said, glad to be shifting away from that uncomfortable topic. “I met with the surface government on Naboo as well as a commune of humans living underwater with the Gungans. Afterwards, I camped in the woods until going to the tomb of your moth-Senator Amidala. In this tomb, I obtained the necessary information of my next destination.”

 

“People under water?” Leia asked. “Hmm, why do they live underwater?”

 

“Fearing the First Order destroying Naboo culture, just as the Empire did.”

 

“Yes, the Empire abolished all history of Naboo. They wanted to make the planet seem poorer, to make Palpatine look better. But I suspect—as Luke did—that they had another purpose,”

 

“Did they want to hide information about Padme from Vader?”

 

Vader. The name of her father still sent chills down her spine. “Yes, that’s what we suspected.”

 

“Leia, can I ask you something?”

 

“Of course, Rey, of course.”

 

“When you learned about Vader, what did you feel?”

 

The emotions were still as raw and real within Leia some thirty years later. “I was….disgusted. Angry. Sad. Confused. I didn’t understand why he would do these horrible atrocities to all these people across the galaxy. I didn’t understand how I could have come from that. I feared that one day I’d turn into him. That maybe Luke would. That maybe…”

 

“Ben would?”

 

Leia sighed deeply. “Yes, Ben too. That scared me the most. I tried to hide the truth from him. He didn’t find out until a friend leaked it to the Senate. I never, I never wanted him to be involved in any of this. I just wanted him to be a normal kid without the burden of the truth. But in lying to him for so long, I made things worse.”

 

“You wanted to protect him, though. Your heart was in the right place, right?”

 

“Yes, I guess. But does that justify lying to my son?” 

 

“I don’t know,” Rey thought how she would have felt if her parents had lied to her. “I just don't’ know.”

 

“And that’s the hard part of being a human. Being a general is easy. There’s millenia of tactics and military history to teach us. I can lead an army in my sleep. But be a mom? That’s the hardest job I’ve ever had.”

 

Rey took a deep breath. Now, she knew what she needed to do. “Thank you, Leia. For everything.” 

 

“Is this your cue for me to leave?”

 

“Well, no….but….”

 

“Ah, I can tell. You want to go to your own Jabba’s Palace, go save the one you love. I know that look all too well,” Leia stood up and started walking back to the Haywood. “One last thing, Rey. Don’t wear a gold bikini.” She chuckled at that one—even if Rey didn’t get it.

 

“Leia, when I come back, I will,”

 

“You will do what you need to do. If that involves my son, that’s fine. If it doesn’t, that’s fine. What’s important is that you do what feels right. You have great instincts Rey, use them. Trust them.” Leia walked out of the Falcon and back to the ship.

 

When the door sealed to the Falcon, Rey collapsed in the pilot’s chair. There was no one else aboard with her. She would be undertaking this mission by herself. Plugging the coordinates into the ship’s computer, she jumped to Coruscant. This mission could end the war permanently. Bring a real, lasting peace to the galaxy. Finally, make things right. 

 

Walking out of the cockpit, Rey looked out the windows of the Falcon to see the planet. Despite being generations away from its peak, the urban sprawl still dominated Coruscant. The light illuminated everything surrounding the planet. Ships darted on and off the planet at breakneck pace. The spaceports were still among the busiest in the galaxy. In the collapse of the New Republic, Coruscant mostly became responsible for its own defense. It didn’t ally itself with the First Order, though it didn’t help the Resistance either. Coruscant remained what it always was—a hotbed for galactic enterprise and crime. Many people seeking to escape the First Order fled to Coruscant, knowing the First Order wouldn’t be as brazen as to target Coruscant yet. Though, the Coruscant Defense Force ruled the planet with an iron grip. It was impossible to get on to the planet without official clearance. 

 

Thankfully, Rey’s skills in doing the impossible were unmatched in the galaxy.

 

“Let’s see here,” She said, entering back into the cockpit. “I don’t want the ship to be detected, so I’ll need to keep it in low-power mode. No computer aided navigation, just the bare minimum power to the thrusters and radar.” A few clicks made this happen.

 

“Ok, now I want to find a freighter of some kind. Something large enough to hide on, but small enough they won’t investigate its contents by hand.”  Scanning around her using the radar, she detected a ship fitting her exact needs. It was coming into orbit a little hot for Rey, but she knew she could maneuver the Falcon onto its backside.

 

“Alright, let me get in here,” Turning the control, she came onto the other ship matching its speed perfectly. If she was too fast, she’d get detected on the scanners. Too slow and she’d miss the ship entirely. Without the computer, she had to be extremely precise with her estimations. Luckily for Rey, the Force didn’t need electricity.

 

“There! I’m on it!” She gleefully exclaimed. “Now to get in its exhaust port.” Her plan involved sneaking the Falcon into the ship then escaping it once it cleared to enter the planet’s atmosphere. Entering the exhaust port would be the easy part once she got on the ship. 

 

It took her a few tries to get in, but eventually she did. A puff or two of white smoke escaped—she wasn’t quite sure if it came from the Falcon or the other ship—but other than that it went unnoticed. Rey was confident nothing would detect her aboard the ships. 

 

“Once the radar starts being overrun by the ships taxing in the air,” She whispered to herself. “That’s my cue to punch it.”

 

It took a few moments of excruciating waiting for the freighter to clear through customs, but after a while it did. Her radar became overran with reading from ships of all sizes—shutting itself off to prevent overloading. With this, Rey pushed full throttle to the Falcon and burst out of the freighter’s exhaust. A great deal of smoke emerged out which alerted the planetary defense force, but it would be too late for them to catch Rey. She had gone halfway across the planet already.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And it's hey babe, with your guardian eyes so blue
> 
> Hey my baby, don't you know our love is true?
> 
> I've been so far from here, far from your loving arms
> 
> Now I'm back again
> 
> And babe, it's gonna work out fine

_ The two reunited, after a lifetime of separation. They knew things could never be how they were before, but perhaps they could be better. Apologies had to be said, forgiveness needed to be granted. But the two could heal, for nothing is more powerful than love. _

 

That night,  Rey slept lying low in a rare dead zone on the planet. After a long day of travel and emotion, she needed one last evening before she reunited with Ben Solo. She didn’t know what this day would hold, only it would change her life forever. Would Ben come with her? Would he attack her? She had to be prepared for everything.

 

Still, the dream comforted her. Unlike before, the two weren’t clearly Anakin and Padme. It could have been—the people weren’t in focus, as tends to be in dream—but they also looked like Ben and her. Whoever these people were, the love between them transcended any manner of differences. They needed to humble themselves and right the wrong, but nothing couldn’t be repaired.  

 

With this on her mind, Rey debated whether to bring the lightsaber with her. She wanted the protection in case she had been mislead by him, but perhaps that would be a bad gesture—to show that she didn’t trust him. 

 

“But I haven’t even spoken to him,” Rey said. “I don’t know if he’s really changed. All I know is what the Force told me; what I saw.”  Her hand trembling, she grabbed the lightsaber and clipped it to her belt. If the sight of the saber sent him off, then he hadn’t changed at all. If it didn't, that would be a good sign for Rey.

 

Rey sat back at the table, nerves taking over. Her emotions were clouding her judgement. But maybe this would be the best for this situation. After all, a lack of emotions were the reason the Jedi fell in the first place. Even Luke, if he had shown more heart and compassion to the pain and confusion that Ben was going through perhaps things would have gone differently. 

 

Though, if things had gone differently she would never have been swept off of Jakku and would never have met Kylo Ren. She would never have met Ben Solo. Perhaps the Force had a plan for this all. There would be pain, yes, but pain is ever present with love and life. 

 

“But where could he be on this planet?” She said. “A city? Living in the underworld under an assumed name? Where could he be…”

 

She thought back to the words of the Force—the planet where the wounds were first made. 

 

“The wounds…” She thought aloud. “It must have something to do with Anakin and Padme, right? So my best options would be the Jedi Temple or the ruins of the old Senate building.” 

 

Looking into the history of Coruscant a bit more, she learned the Empire razed the Temple decades ago and converted into Palpatine’s palace. The Senate building, however, supposedly still stood. It became dilapidated and more of a relic of a bygone era of Coruscant’s past more than anything, but it still stood. 

 

“That would be my best bet,” She went back to the cockpit and flew to the Senate building. She knew at any moment the planetary defense force could detect her and arrest her for trespassing, though she was willing to risk it. The Force worked through her on this whole journey. Why would she stop now?

 

Flying low onto the relics of the Senate building, she landed where the landing zone would have been. She could imagine a time where this space was the central hub of galactic governance and activity. All upset by a war. By destructive conflict. 

 

Landing the ship, she took one last look outside onto the cityscape surrounding her. All these lives, all this wealth, choosing to not take a side in the latest destructive conflict. Choosing no choice is still making a choice. In the face of evil, choosing to give up is as bad as siding with evil. Apathy is as destructive as any other emotion. Through her time on Naboo, Rey began to accept that, for far too long, the galaxy has remained far too insular. Far too concerned with their own problems. While there was a place for ensuring one’s own security and safety, it shouldn’t come at the cost of others. Perhaps this is what Leia meant all along—if you have enough, always give to those who don’t. Whether this is money, time, strength, or love. Trust your fellow person, do not approach with fear. Rey learned the truth; fear is the root of darkness.

 

Rey, with nothing but the lightsaber and the clothes on her back, put down the exit ramp of the Falcon. She wondered if she really had enough love to give in her heart. 

 

“What even is love, anyway?” She pondered to herself. Unlike Leia, she never had parents in her life to give her guidance and emotional education. Even Luke had the guidance of his aunt and uncle. Anakin had a mom. She had to forge and fend for herself—focusing on basic survival needs—nothing higher-level like learning what love is or isn’t. She kept to herself, not knowing whether anyone could be trusted on Jakku. Could she really say she loved Ben if she didn’t even know what love was?

 

But, then again, does anyone? All Rey knew what was inside her heart. She knew the concern and compassion she felt for him. She knew the sensation she felt when they touched hands. She knew how she wanted nothing more than to find out the truth about him. She knew how she risked it all to save him from Snoke. She knew how he, then, risked it all to save her from Snoke. Maybe that was good enough for her. Maybe that would be good enough for him. There was something between them and Rey had to find out what it could be, whatever form it took. 

 

The corridor went on forever. The weathered columns reminded her of Naboo, though the faded red carpet took her back to Snoke’s boudoir—where she thought everything would be different, that Ben would return with her. She kept walking and walking and walking, hoping in vain to find someone she was looking for. Maybe he wasn’t here, after all? A different part of the planet? Perhaps he didn’t show up? Maybe there was a misunderstanding in the Force?

 

“No, no…” She said. “You’re being paranoid. He’s here….I just need to reach out.”

 

Rey sat on the ground like she did all the other times she tried to seek guidance and answers through the Force. Once more, she knew if she was lost where to turn to; where she could find anything—or anyone—she was looking for. The rest of her senses faded into darkness as her focus shifted entirely to the Force. She felt like she did on Naboo, in the tomb of Amidala.

 

“Ben, I need to find him…” Rey asked. “Where is he? Where is he on this planet?”

 

“Rey!” A voice called. “Rey!”

 

It was the same voice as before—from the tomb on Naboo, before she walked through the passageway of his memories. Though, now, the voice was clear. She knew where this was coming from. She knew who this was coming from. 

 

“Ben?” Rey said, quickly returning from the Force. “Ben, is that you?”

 

“Rey,” He said. “Are you here?”

 

Rey looked over Ben. His height never failed to amaze her, though something was different about him. Sure, his appearance had changed—his hair had grown damaged, his skin had weathered and calloused, his face looked burnt. It was clear he had spent time in the desert. 

 

But something else was different about him. In the flesh, Rey could feel the genuineness of his heart. There was no darkness left in Ben Solo. 

 

“Ben…” She walked towards him. She saw a lightsaber—though one not his—clipped to his belt. He had white robes reminiscent of what he wore on the night he fell to the darkness. “This isn’t the Force. You are really here, I can feel it.”

 

“Rey,” He said, tearings welling up in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for capturing you on Takodana. I’m sorry for attacking you and that stormtrooper, FN-2187,”

 

“Finn,” Rey interrupted. “His name’s Finn. He’s a person, not a stormtrooper.”

 

“Right, Finn,” Ben recently started to learn the power held within a name.  “Finn. That’s a good name. A powerful name. He’s a good person. He learned the truth far sooner than I. Broke away far sooner than I.”

 

The tears started flowing down his cheek. “Rey, I’m sorry for all I’ve done. To my mother. To my father. To everyone.” He looked at Rey’s arm, seeing the scar marked on her from the last time they meet. 

 

“But I’m most sorry for all I’ve done to you, Rey. I did horrible things to you in my quest for power and domination. I lost sight of what really mattered. I lost sight of my humanity in the darkness. Rey, this whole war is my fault. All of this is...I understand if you’ll never forgive me.” He saw the lightsaber on her belt and knew she was ready to do what needed to be done. 

 

“This war was started long before you and I were born, Ben,” Rey walked closer to him. “We didn’t start this war. We didn’t create the Empire. Your grandparents did, Ben. And now…”

 

“Now?” Ben answered. 

 

“We can end it. Ben, fighting isn’t going to stop it. Fighting won’t be peace. Your grandfather fought in a war. Your parents fought in a war. You fought in a war.” Rey stopped for a moment, looking at Ben’s face. His eyes were screaming in guilt—almost like he felt unworthy of seeing her. “I fought in a war. What has that gotten the galaxy? More pain. More destruction. More chaos.”

 

“The solution, then?” He said, backing up away from Rey. “Just tell the First Order to stop bombing? Stop attacking?”

 

“Ben! The First Order doesn’t matter!” She said, raising her voice. “I’ve seen the truth. This war...it’s nothing more than the old war. The Rebellion managed to beat the Empire, but they didn’t solve what caused the Empire. People are scared, Ben. They’re scared of the future. They’re scared of what they don’t know; of what they don’t understand. Beating the First Order won’t solve this!”

 

“That still doesn’t answer the question,” He said. “The First Order...no. I did evil things. I wasn’t scared. I did evil because I am…”

 

“Scared. Ben, we’ve been through this. You were scared,” She said. “Your uncle tried to murder you in your sleep! That’d scare anyone!” 

 

“That’s no excuse,” Ben said. 

 

“I’m not saying it is. We can’t change the past,” Rey answered. Ben thought back to when he met that little creature on Lothal. He had the option to change the past—but didn’t. 

 

“But we can change the future. The future is in our hands, Ben, we can shape this world...all these worlds into the places we want them to be.” Rey looked outside the passageway and onto the cityscape. “Look at all these people Ben, blissfully ignorant and protected form the war going on around them. If the First Order stormed here tomorrow, what would happen? What if the Resistance came? Would anything change? Would they be released from their ignorance? Or would they be ruled by a different kind of tyranny?”

 

“No, I don’t suppose they would,” Ben said. Rey was far smarter than she gave herself credit for. 

 

“This war, all wars, are the result of a failure to listen,” Rey said still staring off into the city. The flood of speeders and transports overhead was a sight to behold for the girl from Jakku. “This isn’t to say evil must be treated the same as good, it shouldn't. But if we lose who we are, if we lose our humanity, we become the enemy.” 

 

“Sounds like something my mother would say,” Ben said, wiping the tears from his face. “The guilt of the war never left her…”

 

“The only guilt she cares about is you, Ben,” 

 

“I destroyed everything she worked for. Everything she sacrificed for. I, in my anger or fear or hatred or whatever it is you say. Why would she feel guilt for me?”

 

“Because she loves you, Ben, and she feels she failed as a mother.” Those words hit Ben more than any blaster bolt ever could. 

 

“Rey, why are you telling me this?” 

 

“Because…..” She couldn’t say it yet. “I went to Naboo, I learned a lot there. I learned about your grandparents.”

 

“Vader?”

 

“No, Padme.” 

 

“Padme, who’s that?” Ben asked, as he never knew anything of his grandmother. Rey learned she may not be the only one kept in the dark of her family.

 

“She was the Queen of Naboo, and a Senator. She fell in love with, and married, a Jedi by the name of Anakin Skywalker. The fear of death took over him, so he became trapped within this fear. He swore to do anything to stop her from dying, even….”

 

“Turning to darkness.” Ben said, completing her sentence. A truth he knew deep down all along—Vader was created out of fear and love. 

 

“Exactly, now do you see why I speak of fear? You are living the same life again. Fear corrupted the both of you, but love saved him. And...”

 

“And?” Ben didn’t know what she meant.

 

“And you aren’t lost,” She walked back towards Ben, backing him into a wall. “No one is. Ben, when I was on Naboo, I went into the tomb of Amidala. I….I went into the Force itself.”

 

“The Force?” Ben interrupted. Maybe that’s where he went to on Lothal—where he learned so much about himself. 

 

“Yes, the Force. And she spoke to me. And I saw the truth. I saw you, Ben. I saw your  memories. I saw your heart. Your entire life was before my eyes. ”

 

“I...I saw yours, too,” Ben said. “On Lothal. I was called to this place I never knew before by a creature I never had met. But it felt like...like….”

 

“Like somewhere you knew your entire life,” Rey said, finishing his sentence. 

  
“Yes. exactly,” Ben answered. “What did you see?”

 

“Everything. But that doesn’t matter, Ben, because it didn’t show me anything I didn’t already know. I knew it all along, I shouldn’t have doubted myself. Your heart isn’t evil, it is good. Nothing can change that, ever.”

 

Ben thought of what Snoke always chastised him about—his heart. 

 

“And I learned about myself. I learned, from Luke, there’s something about me...he said a power that can save everyone. And the Force told me what it is,”

 

“Your heart, your compassion.” 

 

“Yes, yes,” Rey wondered how he knew that.

 

“No one, no one ever treated me like a person before. My parents were scared of me. Luke was scared of me. The First Order was scared of me. But you, you never were. You stood up to me when no one else would. You fought me when no one else thought themselves strong enough. Yet, you listened. You believed me, Rey, when I told you about Luke,” Ben walked a step closer to Rey. “You treated me as a person, not a monster. And for that I’m grateful.” Rey thought he started to understand her point—he’s not some worthless villain in her story. He’s something. 

 

Rey took a step closer to him, close enough to get a good look at his face. His lips were as full as ever, but they were chapped. His skin had lost some of its shine and glow, but looked even better. Rey knew he had been somewhere where the climate was rough, yes. She knew this look anywhere.

 

“You’ve been to the desert,” Rey said. “I can see it on your face. Where?”

 

“I knew I couldn’t have hid that from you forever,” He answered. “Tatooine. I was sent there, by the Force.”

 

“And? What did you do?” 

 

“I tried to hide. I thought about just running from the First Order and staying there forever. I worked in a little restaurant, used a new name, and that was that. Day by day went by, no real danger came by. Just a sleepy little part of a backwater world.” Ben took another step to Rey. 

 

“But I couldn’t stay there. I learned after a while that wasn’t my life. I kept thinking of you, Rey. Always. At night. In my dreams. I thought of where you were, what you were doing. I tried to reach out in the Force to find you, but I couldn’t. I didn’t know if something happened to you. Or maybe you were rejecting me…”

 

“Ben, I’d never—” Rey started, before deciding to let him finish. 

 

“And I made a friend on Tatooine, an old Miralian man. He ran the restaurant. He taught me a great many things. He taught me how we aren’t defined by our pasts, he taught me the importance of memory, he taught me about love.”

 

“Love?” Rey asked.

 

“Yes, love. He came to the planet with his wife during the Clone Wars. He knew nearly everyone who lived on that rock, like Luke and my father. His wife died a few years ago yet he said she lived on in his heart.” 

 

Ben fumbled around at his belt for a bit, looking for the lightsaber. The darkness of the ruins made it difficult for him to see clearly. 

 

“She was a Jedi, but she left the order to be with him. He gave me her lightsaber,” Ben handed it to Rey. “But I want you to have it, Rey. I broke yours, it’s only fair.”

 

Rey knew his heart had changed with this gesture. “Oh, Ben,” She reached for her’s, knowing the perfect way to respond. “Here, I fixed the Skywalker saber. If anyone has a claim to it, it would be you. I don’t need a saber anymore. You take it.”

 

“No, no, please take this. It’s far too beautiful for me,” He lunged his hand forward towards Rey.

“No, no, I can’t,” She answered, trying to give her saber to Ben. “Here, you take this”

 

In their movements, their hands touched once more. Much as before, a simultaneous vision overcame both of them. However, unlike before, this vision was shared—they were experiencing it together. They were united forever, once more by the sea. A great peace settled over everything. There was no more black, no more white. Only a blending. Only a balance.

 

“W-what was that?” Ben asked. 

 

“The future, our future,” Rey answered. “Ben, I’ll take your saber if you take mine. Ok?”

 

“That, that would be nice,” Ben took the Skywalker saber in his hand—the weight surprising him. He tried to take it through force before, but that wasn’t the way. 

 

Rey took the Jedi’s saber in her hand. It looked beautiful in her hand, it fit perfectly.

 

“Wanna practice?” Rey said. “Need to sharpen my skills in case anyone ever attacks my friend again, right?”

 

“Hmph,” He said, igniting the saber. A rich blue came out of the blade. “You forget which one of us was trained by Skywalker.”

 

“And you forget which one of us beat the man who was trained by Skywalker,” She said, igniting the blade. The vibrant green felt natural with her.

 

The two sparred for hours—through the evening and into the night. The two learned every bit of the other’s technique. It wasn’t necessarily always a pretty process, but the two gained so much from it. Through saber practice, one bared themselves. They were completely at the mercy of the other person. Even their own strength could only get them so far, they needed to believe in the other person to not go too far. 

 

Sweat poured down their face as they continued to go at it. The rest of the city flying by faded into nothing as their focus remained only on the other person. Neither was trying for supremacy or domination of the other, only trying to learn and benefit the other. The clashing of their blue and green blades illuminated the entire ruins surrounding them. The light from the other blade shined on their face—Ben’s in a beautiful green and Rey’s a rich blue. 

 

Throughout the bout, the two exchanged blades from time to time. They both fit perfectly in each other’s hands. They knew everything about these blades and each others fighting styles, yet they still were amazed and elated by the duel. The sheer ecstasy of it all made them numb to everything else in their world. All they needed was each other. 

 

In one grand climax, the blades clashed for the final time. Steams poured out from them as the heat of the blades evaporated the sweat. They their opposite all they needed, which was all they had. The world surrounding seemed to center into a great peace and quiet. The bustling noise of Coruscant muted for the first time in ages.

 

The two collapsed onto the red carpet, each lost in the other’s eyes.

 

“Rey,” He called, standing towards her.   
  


“Ben,” She answered, walking to him. 

 

Their faces spoke louder than any words could.

 

“You never did tell me earlier, do you forgive me?” Ben said, “For all that I have done?”

 

“Of course I do, Ben. You are not defined by the past. Only your future,” She knew it was time. 

“I love you, Ben, and I always will. Nothing can change that.”

 

“Rey,” He said, brushing the hair out of her face. “The moment you entered my life, it was as if my heart began to thaw and the fear began to disappear.I love you, jewel of the desert. Not even death could change that.” 

 

The two locked hands. They locked bodies. They locked minds.

 

Peace was found. Wholeness was realized. Healing was had. The balance had been reached. Things were finally made right.

  
  
  



End file.
